Effects of milrinone on contractile responses of guinea pig trachea, lung parenchyma and pulmonary artery

The effects of milrinone, a bipyridine with known vasodilator activity, on guinea pig tracheal-spirals, lung parenchymal strips and pulmonary artery rings in vitro were compared with the effects of isoproterenol and aminophylline on these tissues. The concentration of milrinone that produced 50% relaxation (IC50) of tracheal spirals constricted by carbachol was 3.6 X 10(-5) M. Isoproterenol (IC50, 9.5 X 10(-8) M) was significantly (P less than .001) more potent and aminophylline (IC50, 1.2 X 10(-4) M) was significantly (P less than .001) less potent than milrinone in this effect. The IC50 for milrinone for lung parenchymal strips contracted by histamine was 3.2 X 10(-5) M, whereas the IC50 for isoproterenol was significantly (P less than .001) less, 1.4 X 10(-7) M; aminophylline produced only limited relaxation of lung parenchymal strips. Milrinone relaxed pulmonary artery rings constricted by norepinephrine with an IC50 of 3.8 X 10(-6) M, whereas neither isoproterenol nor aminophylline produced a 50% relaxation. Pretreatment of tracheal spirals, lung parenchymal strips and pulmonary artery rings with 1.6 X 10(-4) M milrinone inhibited subsequent contraction by carbachol, histamine and norepinephrine, respectively. The relaxant effects of milrinone were not influenced by treatment with atropine, cimetidine, mepyramine, phentolamine or propranolol. However, indomethacin blocked milrinone's relaxant effects on tracheal spirals effectively, but not on pulmonary artery rings or lung parenchymal strips, suggesting distinct modes of action on various tissue types.     

An examination of the ability of d-tubocurarine to evoke contraction and mediator release from superfused trachea and parenchymal strips isolated from the guinea pig

The relationship between curare-induced mediator release and contraction in superfused guinea pig trachea and parenchymal strips was examined. In trachea, curare produced histamine release and contraction with peak release occurring in the first 90 sec (collection period 1) after challenge. Peak contraction developed later (collection periods 4-6). Curare-induced contraction of parenchymal strips was inconsistent and smaller than that found in trachea. No histamine could be detected in parenchymal strip superfusate samples. Curare also was selective in releasing histamine from monodispersed airway cells vs. peripheral lung cells. No leukotriene bioactivity or immunoreactivity could be detected after curare challenge of tissues or cell suspensions. Tracheal contractions, but not histamine release, occurring early (first 5 or 6 collection periods) after challenge were antagonized by mepyramine, 10(-6) M, and phenoxybenzamine, 3 X 10(-5) M. Combination of FPL55712, 10(-5) M, with mepyramine did not further alter tracheal contraction. Contractions occurring later after challenge and total histamine release were enhanced by indomethacin, 5 X 10(-6) M. Indomethacin also increased contractions in the presence of mepyramine. With mepyramine and indomethacin, LY171883, 1 and 3 X 10(-6) M, and nordihydroguaiaretic acid, 3 X 10(-5) M, antagonized tracheal contractions to curare, 3 X 10(-3) M, but not to 1 X 10(-3) M, without altering histamine release. Indomethacin prolonged return to base line of tracheal tension after challenge with exogenous histamine. After addition of LY171883 or nordihydroguaiaretic acid, the return of tracheal tension after histamine was not different from that seen without drug pretreatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Comparative responses of tracheal spirals and parenchymal strips to histamine and carbachol in vitro.

The responses of isolated guinea pig tracheal spirals and parenchymal strips to histamine and carbachol were compared. The parenchymal strip, a 1.5 x 1.5 x 20-mm strip cut from the periphery of the lung, constricted at a lower dose and had a larger maximal response to histamine than to carbachol. In contrast, the response of the tracheal spiral to equimolar doses of histamine or carbachol was the same. The responsiveness of both muscle strips to histamine was decreased by treatment with the H1 receptor antagonist mepyramine (0.1 micrometer), and the response to carbachol was blocked by treatment with atropine (0.1 micrometer). Indomethacin (3 micrometer), cimetidine (1 micrometer), propranolol (10 micrometer), and N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ) (4 micrometer) did not alter the differential response of the two strips to histamine and carbachol. The differential response of parenchymal strips with many, few, or no conducting airways and blood vessels was identical, suggesting that the contractile element is alveolar duct smooth muscle or alveolar contractile elements. This differential pharmacologic response in vitro is consistent with the in vivo observation that histamine causes more peripheral airway constriction than does acetylcholine.     

Ouabain inhibits endothelium-dependent relaxations to arachidonic acid in canine coronary arteries

Experiments were designed to analyze the effects of ouabain on the actions of exogenous arachidonic acid on endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells. Rings or strips were prepared from left circumflex canine coronary arteries and suspended for isometric tension recording in organ chambers filled with oxygenated modified Krebs-Ringer-bicarbonate solution. During contractions evoked by prostaglandin F2 alpha, arachidonic acid caused relaxations both in the presence and the absence of endothelium. However, removal of the endothelium reduced its inhibitory action. Indomethacin prevented the relaxations in rings without endothelium, but did not affect the response to high doses (10(-6) to 10(-5) M) of arachidonic acid in preparations with endothelium. The inhibitor of lipoxygenase, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, had no effect on the inhibitory responses to arachidonic acid in rings with or without endothelium. Ouabain abolished both the endothelium-dependent and the direct relaxations to arachidonic acid. Endothelium-dependent relaxations in response to oleic acid, elaidic acid, adenosine diphosphate and thrombin were not affected by ouabain. In the presence of indomethacin, coronary artery strips without endothelium were relaxed by arachidonic acid only when layered (intimal surface against intimal surface) with a longitudinal strip with endothelium. In layered preparations, treatment of the intact longitudinal strip with ouabain before layering prevented the relaxation, whereas pretreatment of the strip without endothelium had no effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Changes in smooth muscle tone during osmotic challenge in relation to epithelial bioelectric events in guinea pig isolated trachea

The relationship between epithelial bioelectric events and epithelium-dependent relaxant and contractile responses of airway smooth muscle in response to hyperosmolar and hypo-osmolar solutions was investigated in guinea pig isolated trachea. Tracheae were perfused with normal or nonisosmotic modified Krebs-Henseleit solution while simultaneously monitoring transepithelial potential difference (VT) and contractile and relaxant responses of the muscle. Baseline VT was -10.1 to -13.3 mV (distal and proximal ends, respectively). Intraluminal amiloride (10(-4) M) induced a 3.7-mV depolarization, verifying that the VT was of epithelial origin. Extraluminal methacholine (3 x 10(-7) M; EC50) caused hyperpolarization and smooth muscle contraction; intraluminal methacholine had very little effect. Increasing intraluminal bath osmolarity via addition of 240 mOsM NaCl or KCl caused an immediate and prolonged depolarization and epithelium-dependent relaxation. Increasing intraluminal bath osmolarity with sucrose evoked similar responses, except that an immediate, transient hyperpolarization and contraction preceded the depolarization and relaxation. Increasing extraluminal bath osmolarity with 240 mOsM NaCl induced depolarization and a longer lasting epithelium-dependent relaxation, whereas extraluminally added 240 mOsM KCl induced a complex smooth muscle response (i.e., transient relaxation followed by contraction), which was accompanied by prolonged depolarization. Intraluminal hypo-osmolarity produced a transient hyperpolarization followed by depolarization along with contraction of the smooth muscle. Bioelectric responses always preceded smooth muscle responses. These results suggest that bioelectric events in the epithelium triggered by nonisosmotic solutions are associated with epithelium-dependent responses in tracheal smooth muscle.     

Differential inhibitory effects of forskolin, isoproterenol, and dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate on phosphoinositide hydrolysis in canine tracheal smooth muscle.

A characteristic feature of airway smooth muscle is its relative sensitivity to relaxant effects of beta adrenergic agonists when contracted by inflammatory mediators, such as histamine, vs. resistance to these relaxant effects when contracted by muscarinic agonists. Because contractions presumably depend upon the hydrolysis of membrane phosphoinositides (PI) and the generation of inositol phosphates (IP), our goal was to test for the effects of forskolin, isoproterenol, and dibutyryl cAMP on histamine- vs. methacholine-induced IP accumulation in canine tracheal smooth muscle. Methacholine (10(-3) M) was a more effective stimulant of IP accumulation (9.6 +/- 2.1-fold increase) than equimolar histamine (3.6 +/- 0.5-fold increase) in this tissue. When responses to equieffective methacholine (4 x 10(-6) M) and histamine (10(-3) M) were compared, neither forskolin, isoproterenol, nor dibutyryl cAMP significantly decreased IP accumulation in response to methacholine. In contrast, each of these three agents significantly decreased responses to histamine (by 56 +/- 9, 52 +/- 2, and 61 +/- 2%, respectively). We concluded that, in canine tracheal smooth muscle, increased cAMP is associated with inhibition of PI hydrolysis in response to histamine but not methacholine. The findings suggest a novel mechanism for selective modulation by cAMP of receptor-mediated cellular activation.     

Platelet-activating factor-acether-induced relaxation of guinea pig airway muscle: role of prostaglandin E2 and the epithelium

A fixed concentration of paf-acether (platelet-activating factor; 4 microM) relaxed isolated guinea pig tracheal preparations which had been contracted with histamine (50 microM), serotonin (1 microM) or leukotriene D4 (0.1 microM). The relaxations were approximately 43, 100 and 57%, respectively. We did not observe any relaxant effect of paf-acether (4 microM) in tissues contracted with acetylcholine (50 microM). Both lyso paf-acether (10 microM) and bovine serum albumin (25 micrograms/ml) were without effect on histamine-contracted preparations. In the presence of indomethacin (1.7 microM; 30 min) or aspirin (0.1 mM; 30 min) the relaxant effect of paf-acether (4 microM) in tissues contracted with histamine was significantly reduced to approximately 10 and 12%, respectively. When paf-acether (4 microM) was added to histamine-contracted tracheal preparations in the presence of noradrenaline (0.1 microM) or prostaglandin E2 (PGE2, 10 nM) the relaxations were 62 and 82%, respectively. Noradrenaline and PGE2 alone had only a slight relaxant effect in these tissues (7 and 14%, respectively). In the presence of indomethacin (1.7 microM) the synergistic effect of paf-acether and PGE2 was still observed. The basal production of PGE2 in isolated guinea pig tracheal preparations was 4.6 +/- 1.4 pg/mg of tissue. In the presence of paf-acether (4 microM) increased levels of this prostanoid were detected (11.2 +/- 2.4 pg/mg of tissue). Isolated guinea pig tracheal preparations when contracted with histamine released PGE2 (17.6 +/- 4.1 pg/mg of tissue). In the presence of histamine and paf-acether there was a significant increase in detectable levels of PGE2 (48.6 +/- 13.2 pg/mg of tissue).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Relaxant effect of amiloride on canine tracheal smooth muscle

Amiloride, a K+-sparing diuretic, relaxed canine tracheal smooth muscle strips contracted isometrically with high potassium (KCl), carbachol, serotonin and histamine. This indicated that relaxation was not linked to an interaction with an agonist specific receptor. Amiloride-induced relaxation was also not mediated through the production of relaxant prostaglandins, or by the endogenous release of catecholamines. During potassium contractions, amiloride addition produced a slow monophasic, dose-dependent relaxation (IC50 = 12.3 microM). In carbachol contracted strips, 1 and 10 microM amiloride induced a slow monophasic relaxation. With 35 to 250 microM, an initial rapid phase (IC50 = 75.5 microM) was superimposed onto this slow phase (IC50 = 23.5 microM), producing a biphasic relaxation. The rates of relaxation decreased with increased external [Na+] regardless of stimulus, suggesting possible competitive inhibition of a sodium-dependent process. Exposure caused a rapid decline in tension followed by a recovery phase. Tension maintenance during potassium contraction decreased transiently upon the addition of acid to a much lesser extent. Amiloride (100 microM) depressed tension recovery after acid exposure in both cases. Based on the known actions of this drug, inhibition of the Na+-H+ antiporter appears to be consistent with these data. This suggests amiloride may well belong to a new class of smooth muscle relaxants.     

Co-regulation of tracheal tone by cyclic AMP- and cyclic GMP-dependent mechanisms

The regulation of guinea pig tracheal muscle tone by cyclic AMP-dependent and cyclic GMP-dependent relaxant mechanisms was investigated by studying the tracheal relaxant activities of forskolin, nitroprusside, N6-2'-O-dibutyryl-cyclic AMP and 8-bromoguanosine-cyclic GMP. In carbachol (3 X 10(-6) M)-contracted isolated tracheal rings, N6-2'-O-dibutyryl-cyclic AMP and 8-bromoguanosine-cyclic GMP each caused biphasic relaxation responses, which consisted of an acute relaxation followed by a sustained but lesser degree of relaxation. The biphasic nature of this response is suggested to result from a functional counter-balancing of cyclic nucleotide-dependent relaxant mechanisms and the contractile mechanisms stimulated by carbachol. The sensitivity of carbachol-contracted tracheal rings to forskolin and nitroprusside (activators of adenylate and guanylate cyclase, respectively) was generally not influenced by N6-2'-O-dibutyryl-cyclic AMP or 8-bromoguanosine-cyclic GMP in concentrations that induced up to 50% relaxation of the trachea. Furthermore, the partial relaxation of tracheal tension with one cyclic nucleotide analog did not alter the sensitivity of the tracheal rings to the other. These results demonstrate that cyclic AMP- and cyclic GMP-dependent mechanisms induce relaxations of the trachea that are functionally additive, each neither potentiating nor depressing the effects of the other. In the presence of 3 X 10(-6) M carbachol, the effectiveness of cyclic AMP- and cyclic GMP-dependent relaxant mechanisms appears to be fixed, and independent of the amount of active tension being maintained by the tracheal muscle itself.     

Histamine receptors on human isolated pulmonary arterial muscle preparations: effects of endothelial cell removal and nitric oxide inhibitors.

Human isolated intact pulmonary arterial muscle ring preparations which were precontracted with serotonin (10 microM) relaxed when stimulated with low concentrations of histamine, 2-[2-thiazolyl]ethylamine or 2-[pyridyl]ethylamine (pD2 values: 8.66 +/- 0.22, 7.10 +/- 0.06 and 6.20 +/- 0.26, respectively) or contracted at higher concentrations of these agonists. This relaxant response was obliterated in endothelial denuded tissues. Chlorpheniramine (H1-antagonist; 0.25 and 2.5 microM) induced a small contractile response in the tissues at resting tone (0.08 +/- 0.03 g and 0.10 +/- 0.10 g, respectively). Chlorpheniramine also shifted the histamine relaxation curves to the right (pD2 values: control, 8.85 +/- 0.31; 0.25 microM, 6.90 +/- 0.41; and 2.5 microM, 5.58 +/- 0.30; N = 6). Dimaprit (H2-agonist) induced a small relaxation (20%) in both intact and denuded tissues. Treatment of the tissues with cimetidine (H2-antagonist; 50 microM), burimamide (H2/H3-antagonist; 10 microM) and impromidine (H2-agonist/H3-antagonist; 1 microM) did not alter histamine-induced relaxation or contraction. Indomethacin (1.7 microM) caused a small contraction in these tissues and significantly reduced the histamine relaxation. The nitric oxide inhibitors (L-NG-monoethyl-L-arginine, 30 and 300 microM; or L-NG-nitroarginine, 30 and 300 microM) induced a slight and variable contraction in the preparations. However, these inhibitors, only in the presence of indomethacin, inhibited the relaxant effects of histamine and potentiated the contractions induced by this amine. These data suggest that a dual endogenous vasodilatory mechanism is present in human isolated pulmonary arterial muscle preparations and that products of the cyclooxygenase and endothelium-derived relaxing factor-nitric oxide pathway may interact to regulate histamine stimulation of H1-receptors.     

Physiological approach of beta receptor coupling to adenylate cyclase in rat airways: ontogenical modification and functional antagonism

The relaxant effects of isoproterenol, forskolin and sodium nitroprusside were studied on tracheal pieces and lung parenchymal strips of Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats according to age and functional antagonism with carbachol applied previously to induce the contraction. The beta receptor-related maximal relaxant effect of isoproterenol decreased from 4 to 11 weeks in Sprague-Dawley rat airways contracted with 10(-6) M carbachol. This maximal relaxant effect did not change with age in the Wistar strain. When lower carbachol concentrations were applied to Wistar trachea, the maximal relaxant effect of isoproterenol raised with a large decrease of the EC50 values. In the Sprague-Dawley strain, a similar diminution of carbachol concentration also allowed to increase the maximal amplitude of relaxation, but a smaller decrease of EC50 was observed as referred to the Wistar strain. These results suggest that the decrease with age of the maximal relaxation of Sprague-Dawley airways by isoproterenol might be linked to impaired functional antagonism between beta adrenergic and muscarinic stimulation in this rat strain. This hypothesis was strengthened by the observation of the effects of forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase, and sodium nitroprusside, a cyclic GMP-related relaxant drug, that did not show any modified effect in function of age in both rat strains. A modified regulation of adenylate cyclase complex with ontogenesis and with rat strain is suggested.     

Stretch-induced myogenic responses of airways after histamine and carbachol

Summary. The purpose of the study described here was to determine the possible role of a myogenic response of bronchial smooth muscle in deep inspiration (Dl)-induced bronchoconstriction. Model experiments were performed on sheep tracheal strips. The effect of sudden stepwise elongation on isometric tension of tracheal muscle was studied in the absence and presence of the bronchoconstrictors carbachol (10^-8 M) and histamine (10^-4 M). In control strips tension increased rapidly with stretch and was followed by stress relaxation which corresponds to creep or bronchial dilatation. In histamine-and carbachol-treated strips a reactive contraction with a rhythmic pattern interrupted the process of stress relaxation. These responses appeared after only 20% elongation and were characteristic of a myogenic contraction which in the in vivo situation would correspond to a bronchoconstriction. These findings are interpreted as a functional transformation of multiple-to single-unit smooth muscle due to the influence of carbachol and histamine. This suggests that stretching (DI) of bronchial smooth muscle in the presence of carbachol and histamine induces a protracted myogenic contraction, which may explain bronchoconstriction after DI in severe asthma.,     

Response and sensitivity of isolated human pulmonary muscle preparations to pharmacological agents

The responsiveness (grams per millimeter squared) and sensitivity (pD2 value) of various agonists were examined in isolated stored human bronchial and pulmonary arterial and venous preparations. In isolated bronchial muscles, large preparations (internal diameter about 6 mm) were less responsive (grams per millimeter squared) to contractile agents than smaller preparations (internal diameter approximately 2 mm). Noncumulative concentration-effect curves were produced in bronchial preparations using histamine, acetylcholine, carbachol and barium chloride. Histamine contracted both bronchial and vascular preparations whereas 5-hydroxytryptamine contracted only vascular tissues. The latter effect was always blocked by either methysergide or ketanserin. 5-hydroxytryptamine relaxed bronchial tissues that were contracted with either histamine, acetylcholine or prostaglandin E2. This relaxation was not antagonized by methysergide, ketanserin, propranolol or indomethacin. Dimaprit and 4-methyl histamine were without effect in isolated contracted bronchial preparations. Vasoactive intestinal peptide, Substance P and platelet-activating factor when added to preparations at resting tone failed to induce a contraction. These agents did not relax histamine-contracted isolated human pulmonary muscle preparations. Anti-immunoglobulin E antibody sometimes contracted isolated human bronchial muscle but not pulmonary vascular preparations. However, these data were difficult to assess because of the variations observed. Anti-immunoglobulin G antibody was inactive. Noradrenaline did not elicit a physiological response in isolated bronchial muscle preparations at concentrations which always induced a contraction in the pulmonary vascular preparations. In the presence of propranolol, noradrenaline neither contracted nor relaxed isolated human bronchial preparations. We also determined the sensitivity of isolated bronchial muscle preparations to isoproterenol, salbutamol and theophylline.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Influence of epithelium on the reactivity of guinea pig isolated, perfused trachea to bronchoactive drugs.

The mechanisms by which the epithelium affects reactivity of guinea pig trachealis to agonists were examined using the isolated, perfused trachea preparation. Contractile agonists (acetylcholine, methacholine, carbachol or histamine) were more potent when applied to the serosal (extraluminal, EL) surface compared to the mucosal (intraluminal, IL) surface, and the IL maximum responses to these agents were smaller. In epithelium-denuded tracheae, IL reactivity to the agonists was increased to the EL level. Physostigmine (10(-7) M) increased the EL and IL potency of acetylcholine to that of carbachol (+/- epithelium), and elevated the IL acetylcholine maximum response (+ epithelium); the relative role of epithelial acetylcholinesterase could not be defined. Indomethacin (3 x 10(-6) M) increased, in an epithelium-dependent manner, the IL acetylcholine, carbachol and histamine maximum responses to the EL level. Phentolamine plus propranolol (both 10(-6) M) potentiated the IL maximum response to methacholine, Isoproterenol also was more potent extraluminally than intraluminally, and the EL and IL maximum responses were similar. IL isoproterenol reactivity was elevated to the EL level in rubbed tracheae. Corticosterone (5 x 10(-5) M) potentiated EL and IL responses to isoproterenol (+/- epithelium); the relative role of epithelial extraneuronal uptake could not be delineated. The epithelium reduces reactivity to mucosally applied drugs by acting as a diffusion barrier. In addition, responses to mucosally administered contractile agonists are inhibited by a physiological antagonism caused by modulatory prostanoids, catecholamines and, possibly, epithelium-derived relaxing factor.     

Differential effects of methacholine and leukotriene D4 on cyclic nucleotide content and isoproterenol-induced relaxation in the opossum trachea

The effects of leukotriene D4 and methacholine on cyclic nucleotide content and isoproterenol-induced relaxation were examined in the isolated opossum trachea. Although leukotriene D4 (-log EC50 = 6.70) was a more potent contractile agent than methacholine (-log EC50 = 5.78), the maximal response to leukotriene D4 was only 65% of the maximum response to methacholine. Contraction of tracheal strips with leukotriene D4 was accompanied by a 3-fold increase in cyclic GMP accumulation. Methacholine-induced contraction was not associated with an increase in cyclic GMP. Neither agent altered basal cyclic AMP content. Additional experiments were carried out to examine functional inhibitory interactions between bronchoconstricting and bronchodilating pathways. In these studies, cumulative isoproterenol concentration-response curves were constructed in tracheal strips contracted with three different concentrations of methacholine and in tissues contracted with three corresponding equieffective concentrations of leukotriene D4. Although the relaxant response to isoproterenol decreased as tissues were contracted with higher concentrations of either agent, the inhibitory effect of methacholine on isoproterenol-induced relaxation was much greater than the inhibitory effect of leukotriene D4. Previous studies from our laboratory suggested that a potential explanation for the greater inhibitory effect of methacholine on the mechanical response to isoproterenol was that methacholine may inhibit isoproterenol-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation whereas leukotriene D4 may not. However, neither methacholine nor leukotriene D4 inhibited isoproterenol-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in the opossum trachea. The results of this study indicate that the sensitivity of airway smooth muscle to beta adrenoceptor agonists is influenced both by the initial contractile state of the tissue and by the type of agent used to induce tone.     

Activation of an epithelial neurokinin NK-1 receptor induces relaxation of rat trachea through release of prostaglandin E2.

We studied the type of neurokinin (NK) receptor involved in the epithelium-dependent substance P (SP)-induced relaxation of rat trachea precontracted with serotonin (5-HT). We first compared the relaxant effects of different agonists to the three NK receptors on rat trachea in the presence (E+) and absence (E-) of the epithelium. The three agonists to the NK-1 receptor, SP, SP-O-methylester and [beta Ala4, Sar9, Met(O2)] SP(4-11), at a concentration of 1 microM induced a relaxation of 40 +/- 5, 33 +/- 4 and 31 +/- 6%, respectively in E+ segments. They had weak and nonsignificant effects in E- segments. In addition, (+/-)CP-96,345 (1 microM), the NK-1-selective non-peptide antagonist, inhibited the SP-induced relaxation by 45%. Conversely, the three NK-2 receptor agonists, NKA, NKA(4-10) and [Nle10]NKA(4-10), and the two NK-3 receptor agonists, neurokinin B (NKB) and [MePhe7]NKB(4-10), had no effect on E+ or E- tracheal segments. The N-terminal SP fragment SP(1-9) was also inactive. These results suggest that SP-induced relaxation is mediated through activation of epithelial NK-1 receptors. Preincubation with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (2.8 microM), abrogated the relaxant effect of the three NK-1 receptor agonists on E+ tracheas. We measured in additional experiments prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), PGF2 alpha, 6-keto PGF1 alpha and thromboxane B2. SP (1 microM) induced a 6.1-fold increase in PGE2 production (from 13 pg after 5-HT to 78 pg) in E+ segments, whereas only a 1.5-fold increase occurred in E- preparations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

O2-sensitivity of beta adrenergic responsiveness in isolated bovine and porcine coronary arteries

The relation between pO2 and beta adrenergic responsiveness was studied in isolated bovine and porcine coronary artery rings. Isoproterenol elicited a concentration-dependent relaxation of bovine and porcine coronary artery rings precontracted with KCI (2 X 10(-2) M) or histamine (10(-6) M); beta adrenergic responsiveness was significantly lower in K+-depolarized coronary arteries. A decrease of bath pO2 from 95 to 40% significantly reduced beta adrenergic responsiveness in both coronary preparations precontracted with either KCI or histamine. Similarly, exogenous arachidonic acid (3 X 10(-6) to 3 X 10(-5) M) depressed isoproterenol-induced relaxations in both tissues. Indomethacin (5 X 10(-6) M) augmented beta adrenergic responsiveness in the presence of 95% O2 and prevented the inhibitory effects of the decrease in bath pO2 and arachidonic acid in both preparations. The experimental data suggest that the demonstrated O2-sensitivity of beta adrenergic responsiveness is mediated by vascular prostaglandin synthesis in isolated large coronary arteries.     

Functional characterization of beta-adrenoceptors mediating relaxation in sheep gallbladder

The purpose of this study was to characterize beta-adrenoceptor subtype(s) mediating relaxation in smooth muscle strips of the sheep gallbladder. Experiments were performed on isolated smooth muscle strips suspended in tissue baths containing Krebs' solution. Isoprenaline (10(-8) M-10(-5) M) and salbutamol (10(-7) M-10(-4) M) produced concentration-dependent relaxation of carbachol (10(-7) M-3 x 10(-7) M) contracted smooth muscles of the sheep gall bladder. Isoprenaline-induced relaxation was significantly antagonized by propranolol with -logKB values of 7.81 +/- 0.11 (n = 7) and 7.73 +/- 0.12 (n = 6) in the fundic and ductal strips respectively. Atenolol (10(-5) M), a selective beta 1-adrenoceptor antagonist, also significantly antagonized isoprenaline-induced relaxation with -logKB values of 5.82 +/- 0.11 and 6.09 +/- 0.09 in the fundic and ductal strips respectively. However, ICI 118551, a selective beta 2-adrenoceptor antagonist, at concentrations up to 10(-6) M had little or no effect on isoprenaline-induced relaxation in either of these preparations. BRL 37344A, a selective beta 3-adrenoceptor agonist produced concentration-dependent relaxation of carbachol-precontracted fundic and ductal strips. BRL 37344 was approximately 9-fold more potent in the ductal than fundic strips. In both preparations, BRL 37344-induced relaxation was not significantly (p > 0.05) antagonized by propranolol (3 x 10(-7) M). This would confirm that the response was mediated via beta 3-adrenoceptors. It was concluded that beta 1- and beta 3-adrenoceptors coexist in the sheep gallbladder and mediate smooth muscle relaxation.     

Relationship between smooth muscle volume and contractile response in airway tissue. Isometric versus isotonic measurement

Two different methods of recording contractile response (isometric and isotonic) were used in both spirally cut and intact ring preparations of rabbit airways. The volume of smooth muscle in each airway preparation was compared with the amount of contraction induced by histamine and carbachol. There were significant relationships between smooth muscle volume and carbachol-induced contraction measured isometrically in spiral and ring preparations. There also was a significant relationship between the proportion of airway smooth muscle and the histamine-induced contraction measured isometrically on ring preparations. There were no significant relationships between smooth muscle volume or proportion of airway smooth muscle and the carbachol or histamine contraction measured isotonically. It is concluded that isometric measurements may provide a more accurate representation of smooth muscle changes in response to agonists in vitro. This may indicate that hyper-responsiveness of airway smooth muscle in vitro is more likely to be detected by isometric rather than isotonic measurements.     

Effect of sodium-transport inhibitors on airway smooth muscle contractility in vitro

1. To determine whether alterations in membrane sodium transport in airway smooth muscle can alter its contractility, we studied the effect of ouabain (a Na+/K(+)-adenosine triphosphatase inhibitor) and amiloride on contractile responses in bovine trachea and human bronchial rings in a series of studies. 2. Ouabain (10(-6)-10(-4) mol/l) caused concentration-related contraction of bovine trachea with a maximum effect at 30 min; the mean increases in tension with 10(-6), 10(-5) and 10(-4) mol/l ouabain were 19, 27, and 32%, respectively, of the maximum response seen with 10(-3) mol/l histamine (n = 6). In human bronchial rings, ouabain (10(-5) mol/l) caused a mean contraction which was 40% of the maximum response to methacholine (n = 8). 3. Calcium-free fluid (plus ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and nifedipine (10(-5) mol/l) inhibited ouabain-induced contractions, suggesting that contraction was mediated in part by calcium entry via voltage-dependent calcium channels. Phentolamine (10(-5) mol/l) was without effect. 4. Ouabain (10(-5) mol/l) did not alter histamine responsiveness in bovine trachea or methacholine responsiveness in human bronchial rings. 5. Amiloride did not affect resting tone in bovine trachea but caused a concentration-dependent relaxation of bovine tracheal strips preconstricted with carbachol, 10(-3) mol/l amiloride relaxing strips completely over 15 minutes (n = 8).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)