title: The presence and the effects of neuropeptide Y in rat anococcygeus muscle.
abstract: Isolated anococcygeus muscle from male rats was examined for the presence of neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive nerves and for the effects of neuropeptide Y on its tone and its contractile/relaxant responses to electrical field stimulation, acetylcholine, guanethidine and noradrenaline. Using peroxidase anti-peroxidase immunohistochemistry in stretch preparation of the anococcygeus, neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive nerve fibres were observed, in abundance, running along both vascular as well as non-vascular smooth muscle cells. Neuropeptide Y (> 250 nM) evoked phentolamine and tetrodotoxin-resistant contractile response. Neuropeptide Y, even in subspasmogenic concentrations, potentiated contractions evoked by acetylcholine, guanethidine and noradrenaline. Electrical field stimulation (trains of 3-4 pulses, 0.1 ms, 10 Hz) of the isolated anococcygeus preparation produced robust, phentolamine and tetrodotoxin sensitive contractions. Neuropeptide Y (< 10 nM) exerted a biphasic effect on the electrical field stimulation-evoked contractions; an early potentiation was followed by a delayed and progressive inhibition. Neuropeptide Y (> 10 nM) caused a concentration-dependent potentiation of electrical field stimulation-evoked contraction alone, matching its potentiation of noradrenaline-evoked contraction. Electrical field stimulation (5 pulses, 0.1 ms, 10 Hz) of guanethidine (50 microM)-contracted anococcygeus induced a relaxant response and neuropeptide Y (1-100 nM) exerted a concentration-related slight and variable effect on the electrical field stimulation-evoked relaxant response (1 nM, augmentation; 10 nM, no effect; 100 nM, reduction). It is concluded that rat anococcygeus muscle has a rich neuropeptide Y-containing innervation and neuropeptide Y is mostly stored within adrenergic nerves. The main functional roles of neuropeptide Y in the anococcygeus muscle are likely to be post-junctionally mediated facilitation and prejunctionally mediated inhibition of adrenergic motor transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacological Sciences, The Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. m.iravani@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Iravani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aboo Zar
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D000109:Acetylcholine; D009638:Norepinephrine