title: Electrical stimulation releases 3H-betaxolol from rat atrial slices: possible role of noradrenergic nerves.
abstract: Under in vitro conditions, 3H-betaxolol was accumulated in rat atrial slices, reaching a tissue-medium ratio of 12.3 +/- 1.8 ml/g. This process was temperature-dependent, but ouabain-resistant. 3H-Betaxolol accumulated in atrial slices was subsequently released by electrical stimulation. The electrically-evoked release of 3H-betaxolol was abolished in the absence of calcium, and reduced in the presence of bretylium 10 microM. After surgical sympathetic denervation by stellate ganglionectomy there was a marked reduction in the endogenous content of noradrenaline and in the retention of 3H-noradrenaline in atrial slices. The concomitant decrease in the amount of 3H-noradrenaline released by electrical stimulation following denervation was modest, although statistically significant. Following sympathetic denervation, the tissue retention of 3H-betaxolol was not significantly affected, but the release of 3H-betaxolol by electrical stimulation was considerably reduced. After pretreatment with reserpine the amount of radioactivity released by electrical stimulation from slices labelled with 3H-betaxolol or 3H-noradrenaline was markedly reduced. The tissue retention of 3H-noradrenaline was reduced to a larger extent than that of 3H-betaxolol following the administration of reserpine. The simultaneous release of noradrenaline and betaxolol by nerve stimulation observed under our experimental conditions may represent a mechanism through which betaxolol can reach selectively the postsynaptic beta 1-adrenoceptors and reinforce beta-adrenoceptor blockade in the heart.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Petruzzo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arbilla
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Langer
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015784:Betaxolol; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013233:Stellate Ganglion / Q000378:metabolism; D013562:Sympathectomy; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D011412:Propanolamines; D015784:Betaxolol; D002118:Calcium