An examination of the pre- and postsynaptic alpha-adrenoceptors involved in neuroeffector transmission in rabbit aorta and portal vein.
1 The alpha-adrenoceptor agonists, clonidine and xylazine, reduced and the alpha-antagonists, yohimbine an rauwolscine, increased the stimulation-evoked tritium overflow from rabbit aorta and portal vein pre-incubated with [3H]-noradrenaline. 2 Based on an order of agonist potency of clonidine greater than xylazine greater than phenylephrine and antagonist potency of rauwolscine = yohimbine greater than prazosin, the presynaptic receptor mediating these effects is of the alpha 2 type. 3 In the aorta, stimulation-evoked contractions were abolished by prazosin (0.1 micrometers) and potentiated by rauwolscine and yohimbine in concentrations that increased the stimulation-evoked overflow tritium. 4 In the portal vein, prazosin was less potent in reducing, and rauwolscine and yohimbine failed to potentiate, the stimulation-evoked contraction. 5 In experiments in which tissues were pre-exposed to phenoxybenzamine (30 nM) to block some of the postsynaptic alpha-receptors, rauwolscine in concentrations that increased stimulation-evoked tritium overflow, reduced the evoked contraction in the portal vein but not in the aorta. 6 It is concluded that presynaptic alpha 2-autoreceptors are present in both tissues and that the postsynaptic alpha-receptors which mediate nerve stimulation-evoked contractions are alpha 1 in the aorta but a mixture of alpha 1 and alpha 2 in the portal vein.
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000294:innervation; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D009451:Neuroeffector Junction / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000294:innervation; D011817:Rabbits; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000502:physiology*; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D010656:Phenylephrine; D009638:Norepinephrine