title: Effects of halothane on the relationship between cytosolic calcium and force in airway smooth muscle.
abstract: The mechanism of the direct relaxing effect of halothane on airway smooth muscle may involve a decrease in 1) cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and/or 2) the force produced for a given [Ca2+]i (i.e., the "sensitivity" of the myofibrillar contractile system to Ca2+). This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that halothane reduces the sensitivity of the myofibrillar contractile system to Ca2+ during muscarinic receptor stimulation of canine tracheal smooth muscle. Isolated smooth muscle strips were mounted in a photometric superfusion system, stretched to their optimal length for force development, and loaded with the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator, fura 2, for simultaneous recording of fura 2 fluorescence and isometric force. Emission fluorescence intensities due to excitation at 340 (F340)- and 380 (F380)-nm wavelengths were measured and F340/F380 was used as an index of [Ca2+]i. After superfusion with Ca(2+)-free physiological salt solution (PSS) containing 1 or 100 microM acetylcholine (ACh), two consecutive cumulative concentration-response curves to CaCl2 (0.01-2.4 mM) were generated for each strip; one curve was generated in the presence of halothane. In strips stimulated with 1 (n = 6) or 100 (n = 6) microM ACh, the cumulative addition of CaCl2 to the Ca(2+)-free PSS caused concentration-dependent increases in both F340/F380 and force. In strips stimulated with 1 microM ACh, 2.4 +/- 0.3% halothane proportionally attenuated increases in both F340/F380 and force.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Sieck
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D014132:Trachea / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000109:Acetylcholine; D002118:Calcium; D006221:Halothane