title: Dissociation of cyclic GMP level from relaxation of the distal, but not the proximal colon of rats.
abstract: The role of cyclic GMP (cGMP) in nonadrenergic, noncholinergic (NANC) relaxation of the longitudinal muscle of rat proximal and distal colon was examined. Electrical field stimulation (EFS) of preparations of longitudinal muscle from the proximal region significantly increased the cGMP content. Nitro-L-arginine inhibited this increase, and L-arginine reversed the inhibitory effect of nitro-L-arginine. Exogenously added nitric oxide (NO) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) also increased the cGMP content of preparations of the proximal colon and induced muscle relaxation. From these and our previous findings suggesting an essential role of NO in NANC inhibition in the proximal colon, we conclude that the mechanism of NANC inhibition in the proximal region of rat colon involves NO and a cGMP generating system. In contrast, although exogenously added NO and ANP increased the cGMP content in the distal colon to the same extent as in the proximal colon, they did not induce any muscle relaxation. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), the most likely candidate as a NANC neurotransmitter in rat distal colon, did not increase the cGMP content in this region. Furthermore, no participation of NO in the NANC inhibitory response was observed in the distal region, but EFS increased the cGMP content significantly. Thus we conclude that relaxation of longitudinal smooth muscle in the distal portion of rat colon is not associated with a change in the cGMP content.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pharmacology, College of Agriculture, University of Osaka Prefecture, Sakai, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suthamnatpong
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maehara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000502:physiology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D019335:Nitroarginine; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D019335:Nitroarginine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D001120:Arginine; D006152:Cyclic GMP