[Action of agmatine on tension of isolated aortic artery and its receptor mechanism in rats].
The effect of agmatine (Agm) on vascular tension and the underlying receptor mechanism were investigated in the isolated aortic artery of rats. The results are as follows. (1) Agm (10(-7)-10(-2) mol/L) relaxed aortic rings in a concentration-dependent manner under the condition of precontraction induced by phenylephrine (PE) at a concentration of 10(-6) mol/L. (2) Either in the intact or the endothelium-denuded rings, pretreatment with NOS inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 0.5 mmol/L) did not affect the vascular relaxant action of Agm, implying that the concentration-dependent vasorelaxation caused by Agm is not endothelium-dependent and NO is not involved. (3) Agm also relaxed aortic rings in a concentration-dependent manner under the condition of precontraction induced by CaCl2 at a concentration of 3 mmol/L. (4) Idazoxan (10(-4) mol/L), an alpha 2-adrenergic receptor (alpha 2-AR) and imidazoline receptor (IR) antagonist, abolished the Agm-induced vasorelaxation completely under the condition of CaCl2-induced precontraction. (5) Yohimbine (10(-4) mol/L), a selective alpha 2-AR antagonist, could partially block the vascular relaxant action of Agm. It is suggested that the vascular relaxant effect of Agm on the rat aortic artery may be mediated by alpha 2-AR and IR.
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Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, USA.
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D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D054755:Imidazoline Receptors; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000502:physiology*; D014512:Ureohydrolases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D054755:Imidazoline Receptors; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D014512:Ureohydrolases; C019625:agmatinase