Selective enhancement by an adenosine A1 receptor agonist of agents inducing contraction of the rat vas deferens

Nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1 ectonucleotidase is required for normal vas deferens contraction and male fertility through maintaining P2X1 receptor function

In this work, we report that Entpd1(-/-) mice, deficient for the ectonucleotidase nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1 (NTPDase1), produce smaller litters (27% reduction) compared with wild-type C57BL6 animals. This deficit is linked to reduced in vivo oocyte fertilization by Entpd1(-/-) males (61 ± 11% versus 88 ± 7% for Entpd1(+/+)). Normal epididymal sperm count, spermatozoa morphology, capacitation, and motility and reduced ejaculated sperm number (2.4 ± 0.5 versus 3.7 ± 0.4 million for Entpd1(+/+)) pointed to vas deferens dysfunction. NTPDase1 was localized by immunofluorescence in the tunica muscularis of the vas deferens. Its absence resulted in a major ATP hydrolysis deficiency, as observed in situ by histochemistry and in primary smooth muscle cell cultures. In vitro, Entpd1(-/-) vas deferens displayed an exacerbated contraction to ATP, a diminished response to its non-hydrolysable analog αβMeATP, and a reduced contraction to electrical field stimulation, suggesting altered P2X1 receptor function with a propensity to desensitize. This functional alteration was accompanied by a 3-fold decrease in P2X1 protein expression in Entpd1(-/-) vas deferens with no variation in mRNA levels. Accordingly, exogenous nucleotidase activity was required to fully preserve P2X1 receptor activation by ATP in vitro. Our study demonstrates that NTPDase1 is required to maintain normal P2X1 receptor functionality in the vas deferens and that its absence leads to impaired peristalsis, reduced spermatozoa concentration in the semen, and, eventually, reduced fertility. This suggests that alteration of NTPDase1 activity affects ejaculation efficacy and male fertility. This work may contribute to unveil a cause of infertility and open new therapeutic potentials.

Characterization of adenosine action in isolated rat renal artery. Possible role of adenosine A(2A) receptors

Adenosine (0.1-300 microM) induced concentration- and endothelium-dependent relaxation of rat renal artery (RRA). N(G)-Nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG, 10 microM) significantly reduced adenosine-elicited dilatation, but not the application of indomethacin (10 microM), ouabain (100 microM) or tetraethylammonium (TEA, 500 microM). In the presence of high concentration of K(+) (100 mM) or glibenclamide (1 microM), adenosine-evoked relaxation was almost abolished. 8-(3-Chlorostyril)caffeine (CSC, 0.3-3 microM), a selective A(2A)-antagonist, significantly reduced adenosine-evoked dilatation in a concentration-dependent manner (pA(2)=7.29). Conversely, 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine (DPCPX, 10 nM), an A(1)-antagonist, did not alter adenosine-induced relaxation. These results indicate that adenosine produces endothelium-dependent relaxation of isolated RRA. Dilatation evoked by adenosine is mediated by predominant releasing of endothelium-derived hiperpolarizing factor (EDHF) and also in one part of nitric oxide (NO) from endothelial cells. The obtained results also suggest that RRA response to adenosine is most likely initiated by activation of endothelial adenosine A(2A) receptors.

Effects of noradrenaline, the calcium ionophore A23187, forskolin, sodium nitroprusside and glibenclamide on the degradation of extracellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate by the rat isolated vas deferens

1. The effects of noradrenaline (NA), the calcium ionophore A23187, forskolin, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and the K+-channel blocker glibenclamide on the degradation by ectonucleotidases of extracellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) were studied in the rat vas deferens. 2. ATP (100 microM) was rapidly broken down by the rat vas deferens with a half-life of 5.83 +/- 0.40 min via adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP), with the final degradation product being inosine and with little adenosine being detected in the samples. 3. Preincubation for 1 h with NA (10 microM), A23187 (10 microM), or glibenclamide (100 microM) had no significant effect on the breakdown of ATP or the production of metabolites. However, both forskolin (10 microM) and SNP (1 microM) significantly increased the concentrations of AMP detected with time. In the case of SNP (1 microM) there was also a significant reduction in the rate of production of inosine, while in the case of forskolin (10 microM) there was a significant increase in the rate of removal of ATP. 4. These results suggest that preincubation with SNP may inhibit 5'-nucleotidase and so reduce the metabolism of AMP, while preincubation with forskolin may increase the activity of the ectonucleotidases responsible for production of AMP from ATP.

A1 adenosine receptor modulation of electrically-evoked contractions in the bisected vas deferens and cauda epididymis of the guinea-pig

1. The effects of adenosine receptor agonists upon both electrically-evoked and phenylephrine-induced contractile responses were investigated in the bisected vas deferens and the cauda epididymis of the guinea-pig. Electrical field-stimulation (10 s trains of pulses at 9 Hz, 0.1 ms duration, supramaximal voltage) elicited biphasic and monophasic contractile responses from preparations of bisected vas deferens and cauda epididymis, respectively; these responses were abolished by tetrodotoxin (300 nM). 2. In the prostatic half of the vas deferens the A1 selective adenosine receptor agonists, N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA) and (2S)-N6-[2-endo-norbornyl]adenosine ((S)-ENBA) and the non-selective A1/A2 adenosine receptor agonist, 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) inhibited electrically-evoked contractions (pIC50+/-s.e.mean values 6.15+/-0.24, 5.99+/-0.26 and 5.51+/-0.24, respectively). The responses to CPA were blocked by the A1 adenosine receptor antagonist, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine, DPCPX (100 nM). 3. In the epididymal half of the vas deferens NECA potentiated (at < or = 100 nM) and inhibited (at > or = 1 microM) electrically-evoked contractions. In the presence of the non-selective alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist phentolamine (3 microM), the alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist, prazosin (100 nM), or at a reduced train length (3 s) NECA inhibited electrically-evoked contractions (pIC50 values 6.05+/-0.25, 5.97+/-0.29 and 5.71 +/-0.27, respectively). CPA (at 10 microM) also inhibited electrically-evoked contractions in this half of the vas deferens. In the presence of prazosin (100 nM), CPA also inhibited electrically-evoked contractions (pIC50 6.14+/-0.67); this effect was antagonized by DPCPX (30 nM, apparent pK(B) 8.26+/-0.88). In the presence of the P2 purinoceptor antagonist, suramin (300 microM), CPA (up to 1 microM) potentiated electrically-evoked contractions. 4. NECA, CPA and APNEA potentiated electrically-evoked contractions in preparations of cauda epididymis (pEC50 values 7.49+/-0.62, 7.65+/-0.74 and 5.84+/-0.86, respectively), the response to CPA was competitively antagonized by DPCPX (100 nM) with an apparent pK(B) value of 7.64+/-0.64. 5. The alpha1-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine elicited concentration-dependent contractile responses from preparations of bisected vas deferens and cauda epididymis. NECA (1 microM) potentiated responses to phenylephrine (< or = 1 microM) in the epididymal, but not in the prostatic half of the vas deferens. In preparations of epididymis NECA (1 microM) shifted phenylephrine concentration response curves to the left (4.6 fold). In the presence of a fixed concentration of phenylephrine (1 microM), NECA elicited concentration-dependent contractions of preparations of the epididymal half of the vas deferens and of the epididymis (pEC50 values 7.57+/-0.54 and 8.08+/-0.18, respectively). NECA did not potentiate responses to ATP in either the epididymal half of the vas deferens or the epididymis. 6. These studies are consistent with the action of stable adenosine analogues at prejunctional A1 and postjunctional A1-like adenosine receptors. The prejunctional A1 adenosine receptors only inhibit the electrically-evoked contractions of purinergic origin (an effect predominant in the prostatic half of the vas deferens). At the epididymis, where electrically-evoked contractions are entirely adrenergic, the predominant adenosine receptor agonist effect is a potentiation of alpha1-adrenoceptor-, but not of ATP-induced contractility.