title: Effects of the vasopressin V1a receptor antagonist, SR 49059, on the response of human uterine arteries to vasopressin and other vasoactive substances.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Arginine vasopressin (AVP) activates the uterus via V1a receptors and is apparently an important factor for the myometrial hyperactivity, uterine ischemia and pain of primary dysmenorrhea. The orally active and selective, non-peptide AVP1a receptor antagonist, SR 49059, has been shown to inhibit the myometrial action of AVP, but the specific influence of this substance on the effects of AVP and other vasoactive agents on human uterine arteries is unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  Concentration-responses of AVP on isolated medium-sized human uterine arteries were studied after incubation with only vehicle (DMSO, 0.1%) and with SR 49059 in concentrations of 0.5, 2.5 and 10 nmol/L. Furthermore, the concentration-responses of AVP were investigated without and with SR 49059 (2 and 10 nmol/L) on small and medium-sized arteries. Finally, the influence of 2.5 nmol/L of SR 49059 on concentration-responses of endothelin-1, noradrenaline and prostaglandin F2 alpha was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The EC50 for AVP on medium-sized arteries was 0.53 +/- 13 nmol/L. SR 49059 caused a competitive, dose-dependent inhibition of AVP-responses, the highest concentration giving an EC50 of 460 nmol/L. The pA2 value was 9.84. The responses of the small artery preparations to AVP, both without and with the antagonist, were more pronounced than those of the medium-sized ones. The vasoconstrictive effects of endothelin-1, noradrenaline and prostaglandin F2 alpha were less pronounced than those of AVP and unaffected by pre-exposure to SR 49059.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high potency of AVP on human uterine arteries, particularly those of small size, supports an involvement of the peptide in the regulation of uterine blood flow in both physiological and pathophysiological condition. SR 49059 is a potent and selective AVP V1a receptor antagonist in the smooth muscle of human uterine arteries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Medical School, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kostrzewska
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laudanski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steinwall
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bossmar
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Serradeil-Le Gal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akerlund
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D065092:Antidiuretic Hormone Receptor Antagonists; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply*; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D065092:Antidiuretic Hormone Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1; D007211:Indoles; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D015237:Dinoprost; C082134:relcovaptan; D009638:Norepinephrine