title: Endothelium-dependent relaxation in response to acetylcholine in the human uterine artery.
abstract: The effect of acetylcholine on isolated human uterine artery rings was investigated. Acetylcholine induced concentration and endothelium-dependent relaxation (pD2 = 7.29 +/- 0.03) of the precontracted arterial segments. The dissociation constant (KA) for acetylcholine was 1.35 (0.92-1.77) mumol/l. The occupancy-response relationship was non-linear. Half-maximal response to acetylcholine was obtained with 5.25% receptor occupancy. Muscarinic receptor antagonists: atropine, pirenzepine, methoctramine, p-fluoro-hexahydro-sila-diphenidol (pFHHSiD) and 4-diphenyl-acetoxy-N-methyl-piperidine (4-DAMP) competitively antagonized the response to acetylcholine. The constrained pA2 values were 9.32 +/- 0.03, 7.13 +/- 0.01, 6.26 +/- 0.01, 8.17 +/- 0.01 and 9.13 +/- 0.02, respectively. A selective muscarinic M2 receptor antagonist, gallamine, had no effect on acetylcholine-induced relaxation. It is concluded that in human uterine arteries acetylcholine induces endothelium-dependent relaxation and acts as a full agonist. We suggest that the muscarinic receptors involved in the acetylcholine-induced relaxation of the isolated human uterine artery are predominantly of the M3 subtype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University Medical Center, Medical Faculty, Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jovanović
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grbović
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tulić
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects; D003983:Dibenzylchlorethamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010208:Papaverine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply
chemical_list: D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D003983:Dibenzylchlorethamine; D010208:Papaverine; D000109:Acetylcholine