title: Regional differences in the adenosine A(2) receptor-mediated modulation of contractions in rat vas deferens.
abstract: Adenosine receptors involved in modulation of contractions were characterized in the bisected rat vas deferens by combining pharmacological and immunohistochemical approaches. In both portions, noradrenaline-elicited contractions were enhanced by the adenosine A(1) receptor agonist N(6)-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA), and inhibited by the non-selective adenosine receptor agonist 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) in the presence of the adenosine A(1) receptor antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentyl-l,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX). The adenosine A(2A) receptor agonist 2-p-(2-carboxyethyl)phenethyl-amino-5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (CGS 21680) also inhibited noradrenaline-elicited contractions but only in the prostatic portion. Contractions elicited by the stable ATP analogue alpha,beta-methyleneATP (alpha,beta-MeATP) were inhibited only by NECA in the presence of DPCPX and only in the prostatic portion. This study provides functional evidence for the presence, in both portions of the rat vas deferens, of an adenosine A(1) receptor-mediated enhancement and of an adenosine A(2) receptor-mediated inhibition of contractions. The latter effect is mediated by both A(2A) and A(2B) subtypes in the prostatic portion but only by the A(2B) subtype in the epididymal portion. This regional variation is supported by the immunohistochemical results that revealed an adenosine A(2A) receptor immunoreactivity not co-localized with nerve fibres more abundant in the prostatic than in the epididymal portion.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Farmacologia, CEQOFF/FCT, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Anibal Cunha 164, P 4050-047 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019830:Adenosine-5'-(N-ethylcarboxamide) / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004822:Epididymis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011467:Prostate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D043705:Receptor, Adenosine A2A; D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013805:Theobromine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014227:Triazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D014230:Triazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014970:Xanthines / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D010627:Phenethylamines; D043705:Receptor, Adenosine A2A; D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1; D014227:Triazines; D014230:Triazoles; D014970:Xanthines; C097270:ZM 241385; C061282:2-(4-(2-carboxyethyl)phenethylamino)-5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine; D019830:Adenosine-5'-(N-ethylcarboxamide); C057837:3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; C051360:1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine; C034347:enprofylline; D000241:Adenosine; C002630:alpha,beta-methyleneadenosine 5'-triphosphate; D013805:Theobromine; D009638:Norepinephrine