title: Prejunctional actions of N-ethyl-maleimide and phenoxybenzamine in rat vas deferens.
abstract: In studies of electrically evoked isometric contractions of rat vas deferens, N-ethyl-maleimide (30 microM) pretreatment significantly reduced the prejunctional inhibitory potencies of xylazine and 5-hydroxytryptamine but failed to affect the potency of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist amidephrine. Phenoxybenzamine (1 microM) or N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ) (10 microM) produced significant shifts in the potency of xylazine and significantly reduced the maximum inhibition, but the combination of phenoxybenzamine or EEDQ and N-ethyl-maleimide (30 microM) produced no further alteration in the effects of xylazine. In displacement studies, N-ethyl-maleimide displaced the binding of [3H]MK 912 ((2S,12bS)1',3'-dimethylspiro- (1,3,4,5',6,6',7,12b-octahydro-2H-benzo[b]furo[2,3-a]quinazoline)- 2,4'- pyrimidin-2'one) to rat renal cortex membranes with a Ki of 466 +/- 133 microM (n = 5), and so does not bind to alpha 2-adrenoceptors in the concentration range in which it affects prejunctional receptor mediated responses. This may suggest that N-ethyl-maleimide has actions other than inactivation of G-proteins or that the irreversible alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonists phenoxybenzamine and EEDQ inactivate G-proteins sensitive to N-ethyl-maleimide in concentrations at which they bind to alpha 2-adrenoceptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, Dublin.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gavin
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Docherty
mesh_terms: D058669:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists; D000818:Animals; D005033:Ethylmaleimide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects*; D010643:Phenoxybenzamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000187:drug effects*; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D058669:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; D010643:Phenoxybenzamine; D005033:Ethylmaleimide