Neuromelanin or DaT-SPECT: which is the better marker for discriminating advanced Parkinson's disease?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Whether the neuromelanin-positive substantia nigra pars compacta area (NM-SNc) on neuromelanin magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) and the specific binding ratio (SBR) on 123 I-N-v-fluoropropyl-2b-carbomethoxy3b-(4-iodophenyl)nortropane single photon emission computed tomography (DaT-SPECT) can be correlated with motor fluctuations (MFs) in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) was investigated. METHODS: Thirty-five PD patients (60 ± 13 years) and 23 healthy individuals as controls (59 ± 19 years) were enrolled. The relationships between NM-MRI and DaT-SPECT were prospectively examined in two subgroups divided according to the presence or absence of MFs. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazard model to screen for association factors. RESULTS: The NM-SNc size was correlated with the SBR (Spearman's ρ = 0.43, P < 0.05). The NM-SNc size was significantly reduced in PD with MFs compared with the subgroup without (P < 0.001), whereas the SBR did not significantly differ between the groups. NM-SNc size was a significant association factor for MFs (hazard ratio 0.94, P = 0.04). In receiver operating characteristic analysis of the factors for MF occurrence, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the NM-SNc size showed a significant difference of 0.89 (P < 0.05) but no significant difference was found in the SBR. CONCLUSIONS: NM-SNc size was significantly correlated with the SBR in PD, but several factors in advanced PD were more closely associated with NM-SNc size than the SBR. NM-MRI might reflect the status of advanced PD more accurately than DaT-SPECT. Therefore, NM-MRI appears to provide a better marker for discriminating advanced PD than DaT-SPECT.

Unmet needs of patients with Parkinson's disease: interview survey of patients and caregivers.

We performed a 20-item questionnaire-based interview of 132 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD): 81 patients with Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) stage I - III PD, and 51 caregivers of patients with H&Y stage IV - V PD, to evaluate patient and caregiver satisfaction with PD treatment. The survey revealed that PD patients often experience non-motor symptoms, which are not adequately alleviated by antiparkinsonian agents. Furthermore, PD patients want their physicians to listen to them and take their concerns seriously, to explain their disease comprehensively, and to provide the latest information on PD and its treatment. Both patients and caregivers agreed on anxiety toward the future, communication difficulties, and their different movement pace; however, there were differences in their relative perceptions of various aspects of daily care. The evaluation revealed that PD patients have unmet needs in their treatment and standards of care. Areas for future improvement as highlighted in this study include: the development of better treatment for motor symptoms, the development of new treatments for non-motor symptoms and improved two-way communication between patient and physician.

Role of tonically active neurons in primate caudate in reward-oriented saccadic eye movement.

Recent studies have suggested that the basal ganglia are essential for reward-oriented behavior. A popular proposal is that the interaction between sensorimotor and reward-related signals occurs in the striatal projection neurons. However, the role of interneurons remains unclear. Using the one-direction-rewarded version of the memory-guided saccade task (1DR), we examined the activity of tonically active neurons (TANs), presumed cholinergic interneurons, in the caudate. Many TANs (73/155, 47.1%) responded, usually with a pause, to a visual cue that indicated both the saccade goal and the presence or absence of reward. For most TANs (44/73, 60.3%), the response was spatially selective (contralateral dominant), but was not modulated by the reward significance. TANs are thus distinct from caudate projection neurons, which have responses to the cue that are both spatially selective and reward contingent, and from midbrain dopamine neurons, which have cue responses that are spatially nonselective and reward contingent. TANs were nonetheless sensitive to the reward schedule: in the all-directions-rewarded version (ADR) compared with 1DR, the cue responses of TANs were smaller, less frequent, and less spatially selective. In 1DR, it would first be detected that reward is not given regularly, and this process would then promote discrimination of individual stimuli in relation to reward. We propose that TANs would contribute to the detection of the context that requires discrimination, whereas dopamine neurons would contribute to the stimulus discrimination. These features of TANs might be explained by their cytoarchitecture, namely, as large aspiny neurons.

Indirect action of 5-hydroxytryptamine on the isolated muscularis mucosae of the guinea-pig oesophagus.

1 The site of action of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was examined on the isolated muscularis mucosae attached to the submucous plexus of the guinea-pig oesophagus. Isotonic responses of the longitudinal muscularis mucosae were recorded.2 5-HT produced a transient contraction of the muscularis mucosae at concentrations higher than 3 muM. The contraction was rapid in onset, reaching a peak in about 15 s or less, and was restored to the basal level after 20 to 30 s without washing out 5-HT. When the 5-HT-induced contraction faded to the basal tone, successive applications of 5-HT no longer produced any contracture.3 Nicotine (Nic), at concentrations higher than 10 muM, also produced a transient contraction which had a very similar pattern to that induced by 5-HT. Again, the successive application of Nic no longer produced any contracture following prior treatment with Nic itself. However, the 5-HT-induced contraction was not modified by the presence of Nic.4 Exogenously applied acetylcholine (ACh) produced a concentration-dependent contraction of the muscularis mucoase, the 50% effective concentration (EC(50)) was 69 +/- 5.6 nM. The contraction was sustained during incubation with ACh, and was not modified by prior treatment with 5-HT or Nic.5 The 5-HT (100 muM)-induced contraction was completely abolished by tetrodotoxin (0.2 muM) and atropine (0.2 muM). This means that the action is mediated by stimulating cholinergic nerves in the submucous plexus attached to muscularis mucosae. Moreover, the stimulating action of 5-HT does not involve nicotinic receptors, since the action was not blocked by hexamethonium (100 muM).6 Among several 5-MT antagonists examined, methysergide (1 muM), ketanserin (1 muM) and morphine (100 muM) failed to modify the 5-HT (100 muM)-induced contraction significantly. Cinanserin (0.1-3 muM), cyproheptadine (3-100 nM) and phenoxybenzamine (0.1-3 muM) inhibited the 5-HT-induced contraction, in a concentration-dependent manner, and each highest concentration abolished the response. However, none of these antagonists was specific for 5-HT, but the Nic (100 muM) or ACh (0.1 muM)-induced contractions were also inhibited by them.7 The present results indicate that 5-HT contracts the muscularis mucosae of the guinea-pig oesophagus indirectly by stimulating cholinergic nerves in the submucous plexus, and has no direct action on the muscularis mucosae. In addition, the type of 5-HT receptors responsible for the stimulant action may be different from those in other parts of the gastrointestinal tract, blood vessels or brain, because of the different effects of 5-HT antagonists.

Contractile responses to substance P and related peptides of the isolated muscularis mucosae of the guinea-pig oesophagus.

The site of action of substance P and related tachykinins with respect to isotonic contractions was examined on the isolated muscularis mucosae attached to the submucous plexus of the guinea-pig oesophagus. Substance P (greater than 30 nM) produced a concentration-dependent contraction of the muscularis mucosae (EC50 1.9 +/- 0.5 microM, n = 10). The contractions were rapid in onset (2 min or less), sustained, reversible by washing and the preparation did not show tachyphylaxis. Eledoisin and physalaemin produced similar sustained contraction of the muscularis mucosae. The order of sensitivity was eledoisin greater than substance P greater than physalaemin. Contractions induced by 1 microM of each tachykinin were not significantly modified by incubation of the tissue with substance P or eledoisin (10 microM for 30 min). The contractile responses to tachykinins were unaffected by tetrodotoxin (0.3 microM), atropine (0.3 microM), phentolamine (1 microM), chlorpheniramine (1 microM), methysergide (1 microM), baclofen (100 microM) and verapamil (10 microM), but were abolished by the incubation of the tissue with calcium-free, EGTA (0.1 mM)-containing Tyrode solution. A substance P antagonist, [D-Pro2, D-Trp7,9]-substance P (greater than 0.1 microM), produced a transient contraction of the muscularis mucosae and the smooth muscle regained its original tone within 6 to 10 min. Contractions to the tachykinins were now inhibited by the antagonist (0.1-10 microM) in a concentration-dependent manner, the order of sensitivity being physalaemin greater than substance P = eledoisin. The cholinergically mediated electrically (0.1 Hz, 0.5 ms, supramaximal voltage)-induced twitch contractions of the muscularis mucosae were not significantly modified by substance P (0.01-0.3 microM). 7 The present results indicate that substance P and related tachykinins contract the isolated muscularis mucosae of the guinea-pig oesophagus by a direct action on the smooth muscle, probably by stimulating SP-E receptors.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-enhanced non-adrenergic non-cholinergic contraction of guinea-pig proximal colon.

1. We have investigated the effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) excitatory transmission to the longitudinal muscle of the guinea-pig proximal colon. 2. In the presence of atropine (0.3 microM), guanethidine (5 microM), hexamethonium (100 microM) and indomethacin (3 microM), electrical field stimulation (EFS, 1 Hz, 0.3 ms for 10 s) produced tetrodotoxin-(300 nM)-sensitive contractions which were reduced by the combined administration of FK 888 (10 microM) and MEN 10,376 (0.3 microM), to block tachykinin NK1 and NK2 receptors, respectively. Thus, the EFS-induced NANC contractions are a tachykinin-mediated response. 3. CGRP, at concentrations higher than 0.1 nM, caused an increase in the electrically-evoked, NANC contractions in a concentration-dependent manner and at 10 nM produced a maximal effect (pEC50 = 9.20 +/- 0.17, n = 6). 4. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, 1-100 nM) also caused an increase in the EFS-induced NANC contractions in a concentration-dependent manner and at 30 nM produced a maximal effect (pEC50 = 8.06 +/- 0.09, n = 4), but calcitonin (10-100 nM) failed to enhance the EFS-induced NANC responses. Moreover, a 5-HT4 receptor antagonist, DAU 6285 (3 microM) abolished the enhancing action of 5-HT (30 nM). 5. The combined administration of FK 888 (10 microM) plus MEN 10,376 (0.3 microM) abolished the enhancement of EFS-induced NANC contractions by CGRP (10 nM), but DAU 6285 (3 microM) had no effect on the enhancement. 6. Human CGRP8-37 (1 microM), a CGRP1 receptor antagonist had no effect on the submaximal enhancement of the electrically-evoked, NANC contractions by CGRP (1 nM).7. CGRP (30 nM) had no effect on contractions evoked by exogenous substance P (0.3-1 nM).8. These results indicate that in the guinea-pig proximal colon, CGRP produced an enhancement ofNANC contraction induced by EFS through prejunctional mechanisms and that the enhancement is mediated by the stimulation of non-CGRP1 receptors located on intramural tachykininergic neurones.Further, the possible contribution of 5-HT to the enhancing effect of CGRP appeared to be negligible.

An enhancing effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine on electrically evoked atropine-resistant contraction of guinea-pig proximal colon.

1. In the presence of atropine (0.2 microM) and indomethacin (2 microM), the effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) have been studied on electrically-evoked, neurogenic contractions of the guinea-pig proximal colon in vitro. 2. 5-HT, at higher concentrations than 1 nM, caused an increase in electrically (1 Hz, 0.3 ms, 160 mA)-evoked, atropine-resistant contractions in a concentration-dependent manner and at 30 nM produced a maximal effect (pEC50 value of 8.20 +/- 0.11, n = 6). The enhancing effects of 5-HT on the electrically evoked contractions were mimicked by alpha-methyl-5-HT (pEC50 value of 6.59 +/- 0.05, n = 6). 3. Both hexamethonium (100 microM) and spantide (10 microM), selective antagonists for nicotinic and tachykinin receptors respectively, significantly reduced the enhancement of the electrically evoked contractions by 5-HT (30 nM). 4. DAU 6285 (3 microM), a 5-HT4 receptor antagonist, abolished the enhancing action of 5-HT (30 nM), but metitepine (0.03 microM), a 5-HT1/5-HT2 receptor antagonist, ketanserin (0.01 microM), a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, and ondansetron (1 microM), a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, had no effect on the enhancement. The enhancing effects of alpha-methyl-5-HT (1 microM) were also abolished by DAU 6285 (3 microM). 5. Both 5-HT (30 nM) and alpha-methyl-5-HT (1 microM) had no effect on contractions to exogenous substance P (0.15-0.3 nM). 6. These results indicate that in the guinea-pig proximal colon, 5-HT produced an enhancement of atropine-resistant neurogenic contraction induced by electrical field stimulation through pre-junctional mechanisms and that the enhancement is mediated by the stimulation of 5-HT4 receptors located on intramural preganglionic cholinergic neurones and tachykininergic neurones.

Antagonistic effect of compound 48/80 on the inhibitory actions of morphine and methionine-enkephalin on electrically-induced contractions of the guinea-pig ileum.

1 The effect of compound 48/80 was studied on the twitch-like contractions of the longitudinal muscle of guinea-pig ileum induced by electrical stimulation of intramural cholinergic nerves. 2 Compound 48/80 alone, at concentrations up to 30 microgram/ml, had no effect on the twitch contractions. The contraction to exogenously applied acetylcholine was slightly depressed by the compound. 3 At 100 microgram/ml, compound 48/80 caused a weak but long-lasting increase in tone and irregular contractile activity in the ileum, part of which was reduced but not completely abolished by pretreatment with chlorpheniramine (1 muM) or by repeated applications of compound 48/80. 4 The inhibitory effects of morphine and methionine-enkephalin on the twitches were antagonized by the presence of compound 48/80 (3 to 30 microgram/ml), possibly in a competitive manner. The antagonism was not affected by pretreatment with the antihistaminics, chlorpheniramine and/or metiamide. 5 The inhibitory effects of noradrenaline and adrenaline on the twitches were slightly but significantly increased by the presence of compound 48/80 (10 or 30 microgram/ml), whereas that of ATP was not modified. 6 Thesese results indicate that compound 48/80 acts as a selective and competitive antagonist at opiate receptors located in the intramural cholinergic nerves of guinea-pig ileum.

Investigation into the 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced atropine-resistant neurogenic contraction of guinea-pig proximal colon.

1. The aim of this study was to characterize the receptors mediating the atropine-resistant neurogenic contraction to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in the longitudinal muscle of the guinea-pig proximal colon and to determine the type of tachykinin receptors involved in the contractile response to 5-HT by the use of selective antagonists. 2. In the presence of atropine (0.3 microM), guanethidine (5 microM), hexamethonium (100 microM), ketanserin (0.1 microM) and indomethacin (3 microM), 5-HT (0.01-3 microM) produced concentration-dependent neurogenic contractions of colonic strips and at 0.3 microM produced a maximal effect (pEC50 = 7.39 +/- 0.09, n = 18). The 5-HT4 receptor stimulant, 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MeOT, 0.03-10 microM) also produced neurogenic contractions with similar maximum effect to those of 5-HT (pEC50 = 6.89 +/- 0.16). 3. The 5-HT4 receptor antagonist, DAU 6285 (3 microM) shifted the concentration-response curves to both 5-HT and 5-MeOT to the right without significant depression of the maximum, but the 5-HT1/5-HT2 receptor antagonist, metitepine (0.1 microM) and the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, ondansetron (0.3 microM) had no effect on the control curves to 5-HT and 5-MeOT. 4. The selective NK1 receptor antagonist, FK 888 (1 microM) markedly attenuated the contractions to 5-HT and 5-MeOT. In contrast, the selective NK2 receptor antagonist, SR 48968 (10 nM) and the selective NK3 receptor antagonist, SR 142801 (10 nM) had no effect on the contractions to 5-HT and 5-MeOT. 5. These results indicate that the 5-HT-induced atropine-resistant neurogenic contraction of guinea-pig proximal colon is due to activation of 5-HT4 receptors, presumably located on excitatory motor neurones, innervating the longitudinal muscle. The contraction evoked by activation of the 5-HT4 receptors is mediated primarily via NK1 receptors but not NK2 or NK3, suggesting that the 5-HT4 receptor-mediated contraction is evoked indirectly via tachykinin release from tachykinin-releasing excitatory neurones.

Pharmacological characterization of the opioid receptor in the submucous plexus of the guinea-pig oesophagus.

1 The cholinergically mediated electrically-induced contractions of the submucous plexus-longitudinal muscularis mucosae preparation of the guinea-pig oesophagus were used to study the actions of opioid peptides and morphine. 2 The twitch contractions of the tissue (0.1 Hz, 0.5 ms, supramaximal voltage) were inhibited by all the opioid peptides and morphine in a concentration-dependent manner. The order of potency was dynorphin-(1-13) greater than alpha-neo-endorphin greater than beta-endorphin greater than [D-Ala2]-methionine-enkephalin much greater than alpha-endorphin, methionine-enkephalin, leucine-enkephalin and morphine. 3 The inhibitory actions of dynorphin-(1-13) (20 nM), alpha-neo-endorphin (100 nM) and beta-endorphin (3 microM) were completely reversed either by naloxone (1 microM) or by morphine (100 microM). The Ke values of naloxone against dynorphin-(1-13) and alpha-neo-endorphin were 30 and 25 nM, respectively. 4 Increasing the concentration of calcium from 1.8 to 3.6 mM in Tyrode solution decreased the sensitivity of the tissue to dynorphin-(1-13) 7.4 times and to alpha-neo-endorphin 462 times. 5 The inhibitory actions of dynorphin-(1-13) (100 nM) and alpha-neo-endorphin (300 nM) were inversely related to stimulus frequency, being most active at low frequencies (0.1-1 Hz), and least active at high (30 Hz). 6 Exogenously applied acetylcholine produced concentration-dependent contractions of the isolated muscularis mucosae, with an EC50 of 72.6 +/- 4.5 nM. The contractile response of the oesophagus to acetylcholine was not affected by the pretreatment of the tissue with dynorphin-(1-13) (100 nM), alpha-neo-endorphin (300 nM) or beta-endorphin (3 microM). 7 It is concluded that the submucous plexus-longitudinal muscularis mucosae of the guinea-pig oesophagus is inhibited by opioid peptides acting at prejunctional opioid receptors, probably of the kappa-subtype.

Pharmacological characterization of the histamine receptor in the isolated muscularis mucosae of the guinea-pig oesophagus.

To characterize the histamine receptors in the muscularis mucosae, the isotonic responsiveness of the isolated muscularis mucosae of the guinea-pig oesophagus to histamine receptor agonists and antagonists was examined in vitro. Histamine (0.1-100 microM) produced a concentration-dependent contraction of the muscularis mucosae (EC50 = 1.6 +/- 0.2 microM). The contractions were rapid in onset, sustained, reversible by washing and the preparation did not show tachyphylaxis. 2-Methylhistamine (2-MH), 2-pyridylethylamine (PEA) and 4-methylhistamine (4-MH) produced similar sustained contractions of the muscularis mucosae. The order of sensitivity was histamine greater than 2-MH greater than PEA greater than 4-MH. Impromidine (10-300 microM) and dimaprit (10-300 microM) caused no response in this tissue. The contractile responses to histamine, 2-MH, and PEA were competitively antagonized by diphenhydramine, and the pA2 values were almost the same (approximately 8.1). Cimetidine (100 microM) could not modify the contractile response to these agonists. The contractile response to histamine was slightly inhibited by tetrodotoxin (0.3 microM), atropine (1 microM), indomethacin (0.1-3 microM) or aspirin (30-300 microM), and the EC50 value was increased about 2-6 times by these drugs. When the preparation was incubated in Tyrode solution containing various calcium concentrations (0, 0.45, 0.9 and 1.8 mM), the concentration-response curve to histamine was shifted to the right and downward; the effect was inversely dependent on the calcium concentration, and in a calcium-free medium the response to histamine was abolished. Verapamil (1-10 microM) partially inhibited the contractile response to histamine. 7 The present results indicate that the contraction of the guinea-pig oesophageal muscularis mucosae to histamine is mediated mainly by a direct action on the smooth muscle and partly by indirect actions via the stimulation of either endogenous prostaglandin biosynthesis or intramural cholinergic nerves. The histamine receptors responsible for contractions of this tissue are probably mainly of the H,- subtype with H2-receptors having a negligible role.

Inhibitory actions of catecholamines on electrically induced contractions of the submucous plexus-longitudinal muscularis mucosae preparation of the guinea-pig oesophagus.

1 The submucous plexus-longitudinal muscularis mucosae preparation of the guinea-pig oesophagus was used to study the actions of catecholamines on the twitch responses to electrical stimulation.2 When the preparation was stimulated coaxially (0.1 Hz, 0.5 ms, supramaximal voltage), stable twitch-like contractions were obtained. These were abolished by tetrodotoxin (0.1 muM) and atropine (0.1 muM), potentiated by physostigmine (0.1 muM), and were mediated presumably by stimulation of intramural cholinergic nerves.3 The twitch contractions of the muscularis mucosae were inhibited by catecholamines, in a concentration-dependent manner. The order of potency was isoprenaline > adrenaline > noradrenaline > dopamine.4 The inhibitory actions of noradrenaline (1 muM) and adrenaline (1 muM) were partly reversed by phentolamine (1 muM) or by propranolol (1 muM), and completely abolished by both antagonists together. The inhibitory effect of dopamine (300 muM) was largely reversed by phentolamine (1 muM), but not by propranolol (1 muM), while the inhibitory action of isoprenaline was competitively antagonized only by propranolol (pA(2) of 7.6).5 The contraction of the muscularis mucosae to exogenously applied acetylcholine (ACh, 20 nM) which was comparable in magnitude with that to electrical stimulation was also inhibited by isoprenaline (0.1 muM), adrenaline (1 muM) and noradrenaline (1 muM), but not by dopamine (300 muM). In the presence of propranolol (1 muM), noradrenaline, adrenaline and dopamine potentiated the ACh-induced contraction, while the effect of isoprenaline was mainly antagonized. The potentiating effects were antagonized by further treatment with phentolamine (1 muM).6 Adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine but not isoprenaline, produced a weak contraction of the longitudinal muscularis mucosae in the presence of propranolol (3 muM). The contractile responses were completely inhibited by phentolamine (3 muM). Tone in the muscularis mucosae induced by carbachol (3 muM) in the presence of phentolamine (10 muM) was inhibited by catecholamines, in a concentration-dependent manner, an effect that was competitively antagonized by propranolol.7 In the submucous plexus-longitudinal muscularis mucosae preparation of the guinea-pig oesophagus there are three types of adrenoceptor, inhibitory prejunctional alpha-adrenoceptors, excitatory postjunctional alpha-adrenoceptors and inhibitory postjunctional beta-adrenoceptors, and cholinergic neurotransmission is inhibited by catecholamines acting at both prejunctional alpha- and postjunctional beta-adrenoceptors.

Adenosine selectively inhibits noncholinergic transmission in guinea pig bronchi.

The neuromodulatory action of adenosine and ATP was investigated in isolated guinea pig bronchial strip chain preparations contracted with electrical field stimulation. The tissues were placed in organ baths containing physiological salt solution and stimulated at 8-Hz frequency, 0.5-ms pulse duration, and 30 V (approximately 100 mA) for 5 s. Electrical field stimulation evoked a biphasic contraction of bronchial muscle, consisting of an initial contraction followed by a sustained contraction, which was mediated by intramural cholinergic and noncholinergic nerve stimulations, respectively. Adenosine, at concentrations greater than M, caused a concentration-dependent inhibition in the height of the noncholinergically mediated contraction, accompanied by a very weak inhibition on the cholinergically mediated response. ATP (10(-5) to 3 x 10(-3) M) also produced a similar inhibitory effect on the noncholinergically mediated contraction, but the inhibitory potency was less than that of adenosine. The inhibitory response to adenosine was enhanced by the pretreatment with dipyridamole (2 x 10(-6) M) but antagonized with aminophylline (10(-5) M). Contractions of bronchial muscle evoked by exogenous acetylcholine (2 x 10(-6) M) or substance P (2 x 10(-7) M) were significantly inhibited by the adenosine (3 x 10(-4) M) pretreatment. These data suggest that in isolated guinea pig bronchi adenosine selectively inhibits noncholinergic neurotransmission through prejunctional P1-purinoceptors.

Different spasmolytic effects of smooth muscle relaxants on the guinea-pig esophageal muscularis mucosae contracted by carbachol or high potassium in vitro.

The responsiveness of the guinea-pig esophageal muscularis mucosae to smooth muscle relaxants was examined in vitro during the contractile state induced by carbachol (3 microM) or high potassium (60 mM). In the presence of phentolamine (3 microM), all catecholamines tested (10 nM-30 microM) relaxed the carbachol-induced tone more effectively than the high potassium-induced tone, and the maximum relaxations reached about 90-95% for carbachol but only about 40% for high potassium. Verapamil produced a concentration-dependent relaxation of the muscularis mucosae precontracted with either spasmogen; the mean EC50 values (-log M) were 6.73 for high potassium and 4.65 for carbachol. Methylene blue (1-300 microM) relaxed the carbachol-contracted muscularis mucosae in a concentration-dependent manner but relaxed the high potassium-contracted one less potently. Forskolin (1-300 microM), papaverine (1-100 microM), aminophylline (10-300 microM), trifluoperazine (1-300 microM), 2-nitro-4-carboxyphenyl-N,N-diphenylcarbamate (10-300 microM), quinacrine (1-300 microM) and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (100 microM-3 mM) produced relaxation almost equipotently in both contractile states whereas adenosine (10 microM-1 mM), sodium nitroprusside (10-300 microM) and dibutyryl cyclic GMP (100 microM-3 mM) were virtually ineffective. The present results indicate that a variety of smooth muscle relaxants have different spasmolytic effects on the guinea-pig isolated esophageal muscularis mucosae which was precontracted with carbachol or high potassium and that catecholamines and methylene blue may produce relaxation independent of the changes in intracellular cyclic nucleotides, calmodulin or phosphoinositides.

Effects of cooling on the contractile response of the rat tracheal muscle to pilocarpine in vitro.

Experiments were designed to determine the effect of cooling on the contractile response of rat tracheal strip-chain preparation to the partial agonist pilocarpine. The preparation was suspended in an organ bath containing Krebs bicarbonate solution for isometric tension recording. A decrease of the bath temperature from 37 to 30, 20 or 10 degrees C (cooling) did not affect or inhibited the contractile response of the trachea caused by pilocarpine (1-100 microM), while it augmented the carbachol (0.1-1 microM)-induced response. At 37 degrees C, the pilocarpine (3-100 microM)-induced contraction was relatively resistant to removal of extracellular Ca2+ or to the Ca2+ entry blocker, verapamil (1 microM). Similar results were also obtained for the carbachol (0.3-10 microM)-induced response. On the other hand, the affinity of pilocarpine for the tracheal muscarinic receptors, determined from its dissociation constant (KA), was significantly decreased at a lower temperature. It is concluded from these observations that cooling-induced subsensitivity of the rat tracheal muscle to pilocarpine is mainly associated with a decrease in the affinity of the agonist for muscarinic receptors.

Possible role of prostaglandin E1 on adrenergic neurotransmission in the guinea-pig taenia coli.

The effects of prostaglandin (PG) E1 were investigated on the responses to adrenergic and non-adrenergic inhibitory nerve stimulation using the perivascular nerve-taenia preparation of the guinea pig. PGE1 caused a rapid and sustained contraction and markedly inhibited the response to adrenergic but not to non-adrenergic inhibitory nerve stimulation. It was also observed that PGE1 had some desensitizing action to exogenous noradrenaline on the postjunctional site. Although indomethacin decreased the tone of the preparation, it potentiated the response to adrenergic nerve stimulation without any effects on the response to non-adrenergic inhibitory nerve stimulation. From these observations, it was concluded that endogenous PGE1 may also play a regulatory role in adrenergic inhibitory neurotransmission, mainly by inhibitory action on noradrenaline release and partly by a similar action on the postjunctional site.

Contractile responses of the guinea-pig esophageal muscularis mucosae in vitro to arachidonic acid and its metabolites.

The responsiveness of the guinea-pig esophageal muscularis mucosae to arachidonic acid (AA) and its cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase metabolites was examined in vitro. AA (0.1-30 microM) produced a concentration-dependent contraction of the muscularis mucosae (mean EC50 +/- S.E.M. = 5.1 +/- 1.0 microM). The contractions in response to low concentrations of AA (0.1-3 microM) were prevented by pretreatment of the tissue with indomethacin (1-10 microM), while those in response to high concentrations (10-100 micron) were prevented by BW755C (10-100 microM). The contractile response to AA was antagonized by polyphloretin phosphate (PPP, 1-10 micrograms/ml) and by FPL 55712 (1-10 microM). All cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase metabolites of AA tested also produced a sustained contraction of the muscularis mucosae with the following order of sensitivity; leukotriene (LT) D4 greater than LTC4 greater than prostaglandin (PG) E2 greater than PGF2 alpha greater than PGI2 greater than thromboxane B2. The responses to LTC4 and LTD4 were antagonized by FPL 55712 (0.1-1 microM), while those to PGE2 and PGF2 alpha were antagonized by PPP (3-100 micrograms/ml). The present results indicate that exogenously applied AA contracts the isolated muscularis mucosae of the guinea-pig esophagus by an indirect action via its metabolism to both PGs and LTs. The putative PG and LT receptors located in this tissue are probably similar to those in the ileal longitudinal muscle, but differ from those in the airway smooth muscle.

Investigation into the 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced relaxation of the circular smooth muscle of guinea-pig stomach fundus.

The 5-HT receptor that mediates relaxation of circular muscle strips of the guinea-pig stomach fundus under resting tone was investigated. Concentration-dependent relaxation was obtained in the presence of atropine (0.2 microM) with 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) (apparent mean pEC50 value, 5.27), 5-carboxamidotryptamine (7.35), 5-methoxytryptamine (4.98) and 5-methyltryptamine (4.58). 1-(m-Trifluoromethyl-phenyl)piperazine and 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n- propylamino)tetralin acted as partial agonists while 2-methyl-5-hydroxytryptamine, alpha-methyl-5-hydroxytryptamine, sumatriptan, metoclopramide and cisapride had little or no effect on the guinea-pig stomach fundus. The concentration-response curve for 5-HT was not affected by tetrodotoxin (0.3 microM), guanethidine (5 microM) or indomethacin (2 microM), suggesting that the relaxation is non-neuronal in origin and is independent of the release of catecholamines or prostanoids. The non-selective 5-HT receptor antagonist, metitepine (0.03-0.1 microM), the 5-HT1C/5-HT2 receptor antagonists, mianserin (0.3-1 microM), pizotifen (0.3-1 microM), ketanserin (3-10 microM), and the 5-HT1A/5-HT2 receptor antagonist, spiperone (3 microM), shifted the concentration-response curves for 5-HT to the right. A 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, ICS205-930 (1 microM), propranolol (1 microM) and phentolamine (1 microM) failed to block the 5-HT-induced relaxation. In conclusion, the results found with agonists and antagonists are compatible with the view that a 5-HT1-like receptor is involved in 5-HT-induced direct relaxation of circular muscle of guinea-pig stomach fundus.

Some possibilities for prostaglandin mediation in the contractile response to ATP of the guinea-pig digestive tract.

Several contractile responses of longitudinal muscles of the guinea-pig digestive tract to exogenously applied ATP (10-300 micrometer), including "rebound" contractions, were inhibited by indomethacin (3-20 micrometer) or polyphloretin phosphate (10-100 microgram/ml). Relaxations to ATP in stomach and large intestinal muscles were increased by these drugs. Prostaglandin release might therefore contribute to the contractile responses of the guinea-pig digestive tract to ATP.

Effects of prostaglandin E1 and indomethacin on the stimulation-evoked overflow of 3H-noradrenaline from guinea-pig taenia.

Prostaglandin E1 (5.8 X 10(-8) M) markedly and reversibly reduced the stimulation-evoked overflow of total tritium, while it had no effects on basal outflow. Indomethacin (8.4 X 10(-6) M) increased the stimulation-evoked overflow of total tritium at low frequencies (2--5 HZ), while it had no effect at high frequencies of stimulation (more than 10 HZ). It was concluded that endogenous prostaglandin E1 also plays a regulatory role in adrenergic inhibitory neurotransmission by inhibiting the noradrenaline release from adrenergic nerve terminals of the guinea-pig taenia caecum.