title: Does segmental difference in alpha 1-adrenoceptor subtype explain contractile difference in rat abdominal and thoracic aortae?
abstract: The cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, depresses adrenergic agonist constriction of endothelium-denuded rat abdominal, but not thoracic, aorta. In order to explain this finding, we explored the possibility of segmental differences in the population of alpha 1-adrenoceptor (AR) subtypes. In endothelium-denuded tissues, phenylephrine elicited concentration-dependent contractions in the thoracic and abdominal aortic rings with potencies and maximal effects that, respectively, did not differ significantly (P > .05). Indomethacin (1 x 10(-5) M) inhibited phenylephrine-induced contractions only in abdominal aorta. The subtype-selective alpha 1D-AR antagonist, BMY 7378, was found to antagonize contractions to phenylephrine competitively in abdominal (pA2 8.44) and thoracic (pA2 8.56) aortic rings. These data are consistent with published alpha 1D-AR functional potency and clonal alpha 1D-AR binding affinity. In addition, cumulative concentration-contraction curves for phenylephrine were competitively antagonized in the rat abdominal and thoracic aortae by prazosin, 5-methylurapidil and WB 4101, with pA2 values of 9.39 and 9.61, 7.64 and 7.85, and 9.43 and 9.58, respectively. These compounds with varying degrees of subtype selectivity inhibited contractions of the thoracic and abdominal aortae with affinities consistent with those determined at the alpha 1D-AR subtype. The results of this study suggest that the contraction to phenylephrine of the rat abdominal and thoracic aorta is mediated via the same alpha 1D-AR subtype.
authors.affiliation: Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación de la Escuela Superior de Medicina, IPN Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, Col. Casco de Sto. Tomás, 17, Mexico 11340, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Asbún-Bojalil
authors.forename: Enrique F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.forename: Bruno A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Escalante
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castillo
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D010656:Phenylephrine; D007213:Indomethacin