title: Postjunctional alpha-adrenoceptors in the isolated saphenous vein of the rabbit. Characterization and influence of angiotensin.
abstract: Experiments on the isolated saphenous vein of the rabbit have been performed in order to determine whether a coexistence of postjunctional alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptor subtypes can be demonstrated also under in vitro conditions. Prazosin, selective for alpha 1-receptors, and rauwolscine, selective for alpha 2-receptors, were used to antagonize the contractile response of the agonists phenylephrine (alpha 1), B-HT 920 (alpha 2) and noradrenaline (alpha 1/alpha 2). Each of the antagonists was equipotent against all three agonists; the effect of neither antagonist fulfilled the criteria for a competitive antagonism. The preferential alpha 1-receptor antagonist phenoxybenzamine, applied for irreversible blockade of alpha-receptors, reduced the effect of phenylephrine and B-HT 920 to the same degree. Thus, the results obtained with alpha-receptor antagonists cannot be reconciled with the coexistence of alpha 1- and alpha 2-receptors or the existence of only one of them. Contractile responses induced by alpha 1- and alpha 2-receptor agonists, respectively, could be differentiated by the calcium entry blocker nitrendipine. The effect of B-HT 920 was decreased whereas that of phenylephrine was hardly affected. Furthermore, we investigated the influence of angiotensin II on the effects of the alpha-adrenoceptor agonists as well as the antagonists. We observed firstly, that angiotensin, acting postsynaptically, potentiates the contractile response of certain alpha 2-receptor agonists and secondly, that in the presence of angiotensin the characteristics of the receptors as revealed by B-HT 920 are converted to typical alpha 2-adrenoceptors. It is concluded that the postjunctional alpha 2-receptors of the saphenous vein require the blood borne substance angiotensin for their expression.
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D009568:Nitrendipine; D010643:Phenoxybenzamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000187:drug effects*; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D010643:Phenoxybenzamine; D000804:Angiotensin II; D009568:Nitrendipine; D009543:Nifedipine