title: Specific actions of gallium on norepinephrine-induced tension and associated 45Ca movements in rabbit aortic smooth muscle.
abstract: Gallium ion (Ga) dose-dependently (60-360 microM) inhibited contractions induced by norepinephrine (NE, 1 microM) in rabbit aortic (and media intimal) strips, but did not affect contractions elicited with high K+ (80 mM) solution. The initial phasic portion of the NE-induced response was either unaffected or only slightly (less than 10%) reduced, but the tonic portion of the response was inhibited completely by higher concentrations (greater than or equal to 300 microM) of Ga . In resting muscles, the equilibrated (90 min) 45Ca uptake was not altered by Ga (360 microM). Also, 45Ca efflux from either high- or low-affinity Ca++ binding sites was unaltered by Ga . The effects of Ga (360 microM) on 45Ca retained after a subsequent 60-min washout at 0.5 degrees C in an isosmotic (80.8 mM) La solution were also examined. High affinity La -resistant 45Ca released by NE (1 microM) was not altered by Ga . Under conditions favoring low affinity Ca++ uptake, 45Ca retention in control and K+-treated muscles was not changed by Ga , but the additional incremental 45Ca uptake associated with NE (in the presence of high K+) was blocked. Thus, Ga appears to have a selective inhibitory action on NE-associated 45Ca uptake without affecting either resting and high K+-induced 45Ca uptake or that 45Ca fraction released by NE. This action may result from a selective blockade by Ga of receptor-linked Ca++ channels in rabbit aortic smooth muscle.
authors: Research Department, CIBA-GEIGY Corporation, Summit, New Jersey.
authors: S S
authors: SS
authors: Shetty
authors: G B
authors: GB
authors: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005708:Gallium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D005708:Gallium; D002118:Calcium; D009638:Norepinephrine