title: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibits contractions of the prostatic stroma of the rat but not the guinea-pig.
abstract: This study investigated the presence and effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) within the rat and guinea-pig prostate glands. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that CGRP immunoreactive nerve fibres are sparsely distributed throughout the prostatic fibromuscular stroma in both species. These CGRP immunopositive nerve fibres shared a similar distribution profile but were not colocalized with tyrosine hydroxylase immunopositive nerve fibres which also innervate the prostatic stroma of these species. Nerve terminals within rat and guinea-pig prostatic tissues were electrically field stimulated (60 V, 0.5 ms, 10 Hz, 20 pulses every 60 s). In guinea-pig preparations, application of human alpha-CGRP, rat adrenomedullin or rat amylin (0.1 nM-1 microM) had no effect on responses to field stimulation. In contrast, both rat and human alpha-CGRP (10 pM-300 nM), rat adrenomedullin (0.3 nM-1 microM) and rat amylin (3 nM-1 microM) concentration-dependently inhibited electrically evoked contractile responses in the rat prostate. The relative order of potency was rat alpha-CGRP=human alpha-CGRP>rat adrenomedullin>rat amylin. The inhibition by rat alpha-CGRP of field stimulation-induced contractions in the rat prostate was competitively antagonized by human CGRP((8-37)) (1, 3 and 10 microM) with a pA(2) of 6.20+/-0.13. Rat alpha-CGRP (10 nM) attenuated contractile responses of the rat prostate to exogenously added noradrenaline (1-100 microM). Inhibitory concentration-response curves to rat alpha-CGRP in rat prostates were unaffected by preincubation in either glibenclamide (10-100 microM), N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (10 microM), bestatin (10 microM), captopril (10 microM) or phosphoramidon (3 microM). Our results indicate that CGRP-induced inhibition of electrically evoked contractions in the rat prostate occurs through activation of postjunctional CGRP(2) receptors which act independently of a K(ATP) channel or nitrergic mechanisms. Degradation of rat alpha-CGRP via peptidases does not appear to occur in the rat prostate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia. sab.ventura@med.monash.edu.au
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buljubasich
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Pennefather
mesh_terms: D053607:Adrenomedullin; D000682:Amyloid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000819:agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004594:Electrophysiology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005905:Glyburide / Q000494:pharmacology; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000294:innervation; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006020:Glycopeptides; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D010455:Peptides; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D053607:Adrenomedullin; D002216:Captopril; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D007930:Leucine; C012211:ubenimex; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D005905:Glyburide; C008890:phosphoramidon; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D009638:Norepinephrine