title: Dual effect of GABA on the contractile activity of the guinea-pig isolated urinary bladder.
abstract: The effects of GABA and related substances were examined in isolated detrusor strips from the dome of the guinea-pig urinary bladder. GABA (0.01-1 mM) produced concentration-related phasic contractions of isolated strips from the guinea-pig urinary bladder dome. This effect of GABA was mimicked by homotaurine and muscimol, selective GABAA receptor agonists but not by (+/-)-baclofen, a selective GABAB receptor agonist. A specific cross desensitization was observed between GABA, homotaurine and muscimol but not between (+/-)-baclofen and GABA. GABA (1 mM)-induced contractions were antagonized by picrotoxin, a selective GABAA receptor antagonist. GABA-induced contractions were almost abolished by tetrodotoxin (0.5 microM, TTX) thus indicating their neurogenic origin. In addition GABA-induced contractions were partially antagonized by atropine (to about the same extent as those produced by dimethylphenylpiperazinium (DMPP), a ganglionic stimulant), but were unaffected by hexamethonium (10 microM), phentolamine (0.2 microM) or indomethacin (5 microM). In the presence of GABA the contractile effect of both DMPP (TTX-sensitive) and acetylcholine (ACh, TTX-insensitive) were significantly reduced. Similar findings were obtained with DMPP, i.e. in preparations exposed to this ganglionic stimulant both GABA- and ACh-induced contractions were depressed. Homotaurine but not (+/-)-baclofen mimicked the depressant effect of GABA on DMPP-induced contractions. The depressant effect of GABA on ACh-induced contractions of the guinea-pig urinary bladder was neurogenic in origin, i.e., was not observed in preparations exposed to TTX. These experiments indicate that GABA has a dual effect on the contractile behaviour of the guinea-pig isolated urinary bladder. Recently it has been proposed that endogenous GABA plays a neuromodulatory role in this organ. Our data suggest that in the early phase of neurogenic activation of detrusor muscle (micturition reflex) GABA might transiently enhance excitatory neurotransmission followed by a more sustained inhibition of contractility.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santicioli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meli
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001418:Baclofen / Q000494:pharmacology; D004246:Dimethylphenylpiperazinium Iodide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009118:Muscimol / Q000494:pharmacology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects*; D010852:Picrotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects; D013654:Taurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000109:Acetylcholine; D001418:Baclofen; D004246:Dimethylphenylpiperazinium Iodide; D007213:Indomethacin; D009118:Muscimol; D010852:Picrotoxin; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D013654:Taurine; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C001355:tramiprosate