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Postsynaptic alpha-adrenoceptors, calcium mobilization and (/sup 3/H), 4-dihydropyridine binding in vascular smooth muscle of rat tail artery

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:6985755

Pharmacologic characterization of post-synaptic ..cap alpha..-adrenoceptors in rat tail artery was examined by using selective agonists and antagonists. In this tissue, the ..cap alpha..-adrenoceptor agonists employed all produced concentration-dependent mechanical responses with rank order of potency, clonidine > norepinephrine > norepinephrine > phenylephrine > UK > 14304 > B-HT 920. This order of agonists activities not consistent with a simple classification into ..cap alpha../sub 1/- and ..cap alpha../sub 2/-adrenoceptors in the rat tail artery. Antagonism by prazosin and yohimbine of phenylephrine, norepinephrine and clonidine responses did not reveal the anticipated discrimination between ..cap alpha../sub 1/- and ..cap alpha../sub 2/-adrenoceptors. Potassium depolarization-induced responses were very sensitive to antagonism by the Ca/sup 2 +/ antagonists nifedipine and D 600. The sensitivity sequence of ..cap alpha..-adrenoceptor agonist induced responses to nifedipine and D 600 is H-HT 920 (> clonidine) > phenylephrine > norepinephrine. This disagrees with the thesis that ..cap alpha../sub 2/-adrenoceptor mediated responses in vascular smooth muscle are more sensitive than are ..cap alpha../sub 1/-adrenoceptor mediated responses to Ca/sup 2 +/ channel antagonists. Radioligand binding studies of (/sup 3/H)nitrendipine and (/sup 3/H)Bay K 8644 to microsomal preparations of tail artery membrane a single set of high affinity binding sites and there is a good correlation between the pharmacological potencies and binding affinities of these agents. In addition, study of the displacement of (/sup 3/H)nitrendipine by Bay K 8644 revealed IC/sub 50/ and K/sub l/ values which are in approximate accord with those determined for pharmacologic experiments.

Research Organization:
State Univ. of New York, Buffalo (USA)
OSTI ID:
6985755
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English