title: Effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid on neural regulation of the canine sinus node.
abstract: The direct effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on the sinus node and its neural regulation were studied by selective perfusion of the sinus node artery (SNA) in 26 open-chest pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs. GABA (1-1,000 micrograms/ml, 2 ml, SNA) produced no direct effect on intrinsic sinus rate, but in several experiments (at 1 microgram/ml) it produced an inconsistent augmentation of the sinus tachycardia due to right stellate stimulation. At all other concentrations tested (10-1,000 micrograms/ml), GABA did not significantly alter the sinus node response to stellate stimulation. Local alpha-receptor blockade with phentolamine or muscarinic receptor blockade with atropine through the SNA prior to the perfusion of GABA did not change the sinus node responses. GABA (10-1,000 micrograms/ml, 2 ml, SNA) significantly attenuated (by 45-80% of control) the sinus bradycardia due to stimulation of the right vagosympathetic trunk. The sinus node response to selective perfusion of norepinephrine or acetylcholine (0.01 micrograms/ml, 2 ml, SNA) was not affected by GABA. The stellate augmentation (when present) and vagal attenuation were both antagonized by perfusion of picrotoxin (1,000 micrograms/ml, 2 ml, SNA). It is concluded that GABA does not exert any direct effect on the sinus node but may indirectly influence sinus rate by an effect on local nerves or ganglia.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004285:Dogs; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D010646:Phentolamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010852:Picrotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D012849:Sinoatrial Node / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D010646:Phentolamine; D010852:Picrotoxin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid