title: Does in vitro activation of postsynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptor utilize intracellular Ca2+ for contraction in dog saphenous vein?
abstract: Dog saphenous vein spiral strips were employed to determine whether an intracellular source of Ca2+ is used for contraction upon activation of the alpha 2-adrenoceptor by B-HT 920 in Ca2+-free Krebs solution containing 50 microM EGTA. The studies were carried out in parallel with the activation of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor by phenylephrine (Phe) under the condition that B-HT 920 (10(-5) M) and Phe (2 x 10(-6) M) gave rise to a similar level of responses in Ca2+-containing Krebs solution. A similar level of responses to these agonists at equieffective concentrations in Ca2+-free medium were also observed. Such responses to Phe and B-HT 920 were inhibited by 10(-7) M rauwolscine and 10(-7) M prazosin, respectively, and were not affected by 10(-7) M nifedipine or 5 mM Mn2+. The responses to B-HT 920 (10(-5) M) and submaximal concentration of Phe (2 x 10(-6) M) in Ca2+-free medium were additive. However, if the vascular strips were first contracted maximally with 10(-4) M Phe in Ca2+-free medium to deplete the intracellular Ca store, subsequent addition of B-HT 920 failed to induce additional response. Our results strongly suggest that activation of alpha 2-adrenoceptor in dog saphenous vein in Ca2+-free medium indeed utilizes intracellular Ca2+ for contraction. We also found that the failure of earlier studies to demonstrate the contractile effects of B-HT 920 in dog saphenous vein was due to experimental artifacts derived from the use of high concentration of EGTA and artificial pH-buffering reagent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada.
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Daniel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001381:Azepines / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D004285:Dogs; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006531:HEPES / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008345:Manganese / Q000494:pharmacology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011224:Prazosin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000187:drug effects*; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015016:Yohimbine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001381:Azepines; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D010656:Phenylephrine; D015016:Yohimbine; D008345:Manganese; D004533:Egtazic Acid; C024763:talipexole; D009543:Nifedipine; D006531:HEPES; D002118:Calcium; D011224:Prazosin