Dissociation of inhibitory effects of guanethidine on adrenergic and on purinergic transmission in isolated canine splenic artery

Myography of isolated blood vessels: Considerations for experimental design and combination with supplementary techniques

The study of the mechanisms of regulation of vascular tone is an urgent task of modern science, since diseases of the cardiovascular system remain the main cause of reduction in the quality of life and mortality of the population. Myography (isometric and isobaric) of isolated blood vessels is one of the most physiologically relevant approaches to study the function of cells in the vessel wall. On the one hand, cell-cell interactions as well as mechanical stretch of the vessel wall remain preserved in myography studies, in contrast to studies on isolated cells, e.g., cell culture. On the other hand, in vitro studies in isolated vessels allow control of numerous parameters that are difficult to control in vivo. The aim of this review was to 1) discuss the specifics of experimental design and interpretation of data obtained by myography and 2) highlight the importance of the combined use of myography with various complementary techniques necessary for a deep understanding of vascular physiology.

Purinergic receptors in the splanchnic circulation

There is considerable evidence that purines are vasoactive molecules involved in the regulation of blood flow. Adenosine is a well known vasodilator that also acts as a modulator of the response to other vasoactive substances. Adenosine exerts its effects by interacting with adenosine receptors. These are metabotropic G-protein coupled receptors and include four subtypes, A(1), A(2A), A(2B) and A(3). Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a co-transmitter in vascular neuroeffector junctions and is known to activate two distinct types of P2 receptors, P2X (ionotropic) and P2Y (metabotropic). ATP can exert either vasoconstrictive or vasorelaxant effects, depending on the P2 receptor subtype involved. Splanchnic vascular beds are of particular interest, as they receive a large fraction of the cardiac output. This review focus on purinergic receptors role in the splanchnic vasomotor control. Here, we give an overview on the distribution and diversity of effects of purinergic receptors in splanchnic vessels. Pre- and post-junctional receptormediated responses are summarized. Attention is also given to the interactions between purinergic receptors and other receptors in the splanchnic circulation.

Contragestazol (DL111-IT) inhibits proliferation of human an-drogen-independent prostate cancer cell line PC3 in vitro and in vivo

AIM

To evaluate the antiproliferative activity of contragestazol (DL111-IT) on the human prostate cancer cell line PC3 in vitro and in vivo and to elucidate its potential molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

The cell killing ability of DL111-IT was measured by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthia-zol,2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reagent assay method and the tumor xenograft model. The cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry and protein expression, including retinoblastoma (pRb), cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) and cyclin D1, was detected by Western blotting.

RESULTS

DL111-IT exhibited high efficiency on cell growth inhibition of the human androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line PC3. The drug concentration that yielded 50% cell inhibition (IC50 value) was 9.9 mg/mL. In the PC3 tumor xenograft study, DL111-IT (1.25 mg/kg-20.0 mg/kg) given once a day for 10 days significantly inhibited tumor growth, with the inhibition rate ranging from 21% to 50%. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that DL111-IT could cause G1 arrest in the PC3 cell line, but not apoptosis. DL111-IT enhanced pRb expression and down-regulated CDK4 and cyclin D1 expression, suggesting that cell cycle regulation might contribute to the anticancer property of DL111-IT.

CONCLUSION

DL111-IT inhibits the proliferation of human androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line PC3 in vitro and in vivo by a cell cycle regulation pathway.

Antiproliferative activity of contragestazol (DL111-IT) in murine and human tumor models in vitro and in vivo

PURPOSES

To evaluate the antiproliferative activity of contragestazol (DL111-IT) in vitro and in vivo and to elucidate potential molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

Cell killing ability of DL111-IT was measured by MTT/Trypan blue exclusion method and murine and human tumor models; cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry; pRb, CDK4 and Cyclin D1 expressions were detected by western blotting.

RESULTS

DL111-IT exhibited high efficiency on cell growth inhibition of 12 cancer cell lines, the IC50 values were 4.1-19.7 microg/ml. In Sarcoma-180 (S180) and Hepatoma-22 (H22) tumor bearing mice models, the inhibition rates were 55.9 and 55.6%, respectively, at the doses of DL111-IT 12.5-50.0 mg/kg for 9 days consecutive administration. Human ovarian carcinoma (HO-8910) xenograft study showed that, nine administrations (within 15 days) of DL111-IT (12.5-50.0 mg/kg) significantly inhibited tumor growth with the inhibition rates ranging from 17.0 to 64.3%. DL111-IT induced G1 arrest and overexpression of pRb, CDK4 and Cyclin D1 were observed in HO-8910 cell line, suggesting that cell cycle regulation might contribute to the anticancer property of DL111-IT.

CONCLUSIONS

DL111-IT could inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo via a cell cycle regulation pathway.

Prejunctional AT(1) receptor subtype-dependent modification of neurotransmitter releases in canine isolated splenic arteries

1. The regulation by angiotensin II (Ang II) formed locally on nerve-stimulated purinergic and adrenergic components of double-peaked vasoconstrictions in the canine splenic artery and Ang II receptor subtypes involved were investigated. 2. The perfusion of the precursor angiotensin I (Ang I, 0.1-1 nm) did not affect the vasoconstrictor responses to noradrenaline (NA, 0.03-1 nmol) and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP, 0.03-1 micromol). The second component vasoconstrictor response to nerve stimulation was dose dependently potentiated by Ang I (0.1-1 nm). The first peaked constriction was slightly, but insignificantly increased. The potentiating effects of Ang I were abolished by KRH-594 (10 nm), a selective AT(1) receptor antagonist, but not by PD 123319 (1-10 nm), an AT(2) receptor antagonist. KRH-594 (10 nm) or PD 123319 (10 nm) never affected the vasoconstrictions to either NA or ATP. 3. The treatment with KRH-594 (1-10 nm) produced a greater inhibition on the second peaked response than the first one, although both of them were dose dependently inhibited. PD 123319 (1-10 nm) did not affect the vasoconstrictor responses induced by nerve stimulation. 4. Inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme with 10 nm enalaprilat reduced the second peaked response, having no significant inhibition on the first peaked response. A higher dose of enalaprilat (100 nm) produced a greater inhibition of the second peak than the first one. It reduced the second peak by approximately 65%, while the first peak was decreased approximately 35%. After treatment with enalaprilat, Ang I (1 nm) failed to enhance the neuronal vascular response. Enalaprilat at doses used did not affect the vasoconstrictions to either NA or ATP. 5. The present results indicate that endogenously generated Ang II may produce a more marked potentiation of adrenergic transmission than purinergic transmission via activation of prejunctional AT(1) receptors.

Mechanisms of release of ATP from vascular purinergic nerves

1. The vasoconstrictor response to periarterial nerve electrical stimulation (PNS) and neurotransmission by ATP are discussed and illustrated, using canine isolated and perfused splenic arterial preparations. 2. The conditions for appearance of dominant purinergic constrictor response to PNS are discussed. 3. Modulation of the purinergic vasoconstrictor responses to PNS by several kinds of presynaptic receptor agonists and antagonists is reviewed. 4. Influences of purinergic responses to PNS by guanethidine, reserpine, tetrodotoxin (TTX) or omega-conotoxin GVIA (omegaCTX) are also reviewed. 5. Effects of imipramine and removal of the endothelium are discussed. 6. Evidence is presented for selective inhibition of purinergic responses to PNS by an adequate cold storage of the vessel. 7. The roles of ATP released by PNS in isolated canine splenic arteries are proposed.

Purinergic and adrenergic cotransmission in canine isolated and perfused gastroepiploic arteries

1. The vasoconstrictor responses of canine gastroepiploic artery to periarterial electrical nerve stimulation (PNS; 30 s trains of pulses at a frequency of 2, 4 or 8 Hz) were observed in a frequency dependent manner. The PNS-induced vasoconstrictions were abolished by tetrodotoxin (1 micromol/L) and mostly depressed but not completely by guanethidine (10 micromol/L). 2. Vasoconstrictor responses to administered noradrenaline were antagonized significantly by prazosin (0.1 micromol/L), an alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist, but were not significantly affected by suramin (100 micromol/L), a P2 purinoceptor antagonist, or alpha,beta-methylene ATP (1 micromol/L), a P2X receptor desensitizing agent. Exogenous ATP-induced responses were clearly depressed by suramin or alpha,beta-methylene ATP, but were not significantly affected by prazosin. 3. The vasoconstrictor responses to PNS at a low frequency (2 and 4 Hz) of stimulation were markedly inhibited by suramin (100 micromol/L) and by alpha,beta-methylene ATP (1 micromol/L). The remaining responses after suramin or alpha,beta-methylene ATP were abolished by subsequent application of prazosin (0.1 micromol/L). At a high frequency (8 Hz) of stimulation, the vascular response was not significantly inhibited by suramin or alpha,beta-methylene ATP, but it was abolished by prazosin. 4. Injection of xylazine (0.3-30 nmol/L), an alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist, did not induce any clear vasoconstriction. The exposure of tissues to rauwolscine (0.1-0.3 micromol/L), an alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist, dose-dependently increased PNS-induced vasoconstrictions at all frequencies tested. 5. The present results indicate that ATP acts as a cotransmitter with noradrenaline and is responsible for post-junctional vasoconstrictor responses at low frequencies of sitmulation, whereas the effect of noradrenaline is dominant at high-frequency stimulation in canine gastroepiploic artery. Prejunctional alpha2-adrenoceptor autoinhibition may modulate the release of either noradrenaline or ATP from sympathetic nerve terminals.

Neuroeffector mechanisms involved in the regulation of dog splenic arterial tone

It has been recognized that sympathetic neurons release several transmitters but mainly adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), noradrenaline, and neuropeptide Y (NPY). Recently, we reported that periarterial nerve electrical stimulation (PNS) produced biphasic vasoconstrictions consisting of an initial transient, predominantly P2X-purinoceptor-mediated constriction followed by a prolonged, alpha(1)-adrenoceptor-mediated one in canine isolated splenic arteries. In this article, we tried to analyze the effects of several selective key drugs that influence the PNS-induced responses, and we functionally showed sympathetic transmitter releasing mechanisms by pharmacological analysis using purinergic, adrenergic, and NPYergic agonists and antagonists.

Determination of diphenytriazol (DL111-IT) and its related impurities by RP-HPLC with DAD

An analytical method was developed for determining diphenytriazol and its related impurities in oil injection by using RP-HPLC with DAD and diazepam as internal standard. The C(18) column was used as analytical column. Mobile phase consisted of methanol-potassium dihydrogen phosphate solutions (10 mmol l(-1), pH 7.5) (7:3, v/v). The standard curve was linear in the concentration range from 2 to 100 microg ml(-1) for diphenytriazol. The analytical method afforded average recoveries of 100.3+/-1.9% (n=9) and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 2% for within-day and between-day precision. The limit of detection and of quantitation for the assay were 15 and 40 ng, respectively. The method was simple, accurate and allowed to be used as analytical method for the routine quality control of diphenytriazol injection. Diphenytriazol injection showed a high stability to the heat (60 degrees C) and the light (4000 lx).

Pharmacological analysis of functional neurovascular transmission in canine splenic arteries: role of neuropeptide Y

1 The effects of neuropeptide Y (NPY) upon the isolated vasculature are reviewed. 2 The vasconstrictor responses to periarterial nerve stimulation (PNS) and neurotransmission by noradrenaline (NA) and ATP are discussed and illustrated using canine isolated perfused splenic artery. 3 Modulation of the vascular responses to PNS by NPY via pre- and post-junctional NPY Y2 and Y1 receptors is discussed. 4 Evidence is presented for different alpha1-adrenoceptor subtypes mediating vasoconstriction to exogenous and endogenously released NA and their different locations in the neurovascular junction and extrajunctional regions. 5 Activation of NPY Y1-receptors potentiates sympathetic nerve activated alpha1-adrenoceptor vasoconstriction. The proposal that the postjunctional alpha1B adrenoceptor may be linked to the NPY Y1-receptor and is responsible for co-operation between sympathetic and NPYergic interactions in the vasculature is discussed.

Dissociation of potentiation of Leu31 Pro34 neuropeptide Y on adrenergic and purinergic transmission in isolated canine splenic artery

The present study observed the effects of an activation of neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y1 receptors on adrenergic and purinergic components of double-peaked vasoconstrictor responses to periarterial nerve stimulation in the isolated, perfused canine splenic arteries. The results showed that 3-30 nM Leu31 Pro34 neuropeptide Y (LP-NPY) produced a dose-dependent potentiation of double-peaked vasoconstrictor responses to trains of 30-s pulses at 1, 4 or 10 Hz of stimulation. The potentiation of LP-NPY of the nerve-stimulated vasoconstrictions were completely inhibited by subsequent blockade of alpha1-adrenoceptors or Y1 receptors with 0.1 microM prazosin or with 1 microM BIBP 3226 ((R)-N2-(diphenylacetyl)-N-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)methyl]-argininami de), respectively. The remaining responses in the presence of LP-NPY and prazosin were abolished by P2X receptor desensitization with 1 microM alpha,beta-methylene ATP. Moreover, 30 nM LP-NPY failed to modify the vasoconstrictor responses to nerve stimulation after treatment with prazosin. A subsequent administration of alpha,beta-methylene ATP completely suppressed the remaining responses after prazosin and LP-NPY. The vasoconstrictions induced by 0.003-1 nmol noradrenaline and 0.003-1 micromol ATP were slightly, but not significantly enhanced by 30 nM LP-NPY. The observations indicated that activation of postjunctional NPY Y1 receptors may have an important role in the modulation of adrenergic rather than purinergic transmission of the sympathetic co-transmission.

Effects of omega-conotoxin GVIA and diltiazem on double peaked vasoconstrictor responses to periarterial electric nerve stimulation in isolated canine splenic artery

The actions of omega-conotoxin (omega-CTX) and diltiazem on adrenergic and purinergic components of double peaked vasoconstrictor responses to periarterial nerve stimulation have been investigated in the isolated, perfused canine splenic arterial preparation. Double peaked vasoconstrictions (biphases of vasoconstrictors) were consistently observed in the conditions of 30 s trains of pulses at 1 - 10 Hz frequencies. omega-CTX (1 - 30 nM) produced similar inhibitory effects on the first phase and second phase responses in a dose-related manner. Thirty nM omega-CTX almost completely inhibited the biphasic vasoconstrictions at any used frequencies but did not affect the vasoconstrictor responses to exogenous applied ATP (0.01 - 1 micromol) and noradrenaline (0.03 - 3 nmol). Intraluminal application of a large dose of diltiazem (3 - 10 microM) also produced a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on biphasic vasoconstrictions at any used frequencies. Three microM diltiazem exerted rather a larger inhibitory effect on the second phase than the first phase response at low frequencies (1 - 3 Hz), but a similar inhibition on first and second phasic responses at high frequencies (6 - 10 Hz). An extremely high dose of diltiazem (10 microM) almost completely inhibited the biphasic vasoconstrictor responses to nerve stimulation, and slightly inhibited the contractile responses to exogenous applied ATP (0.01 - 1 micromol) and noradrenaline (0.03 - 3 nmol). The present results indicate that omega-CTX selectively acts prejunctionally to inhibit the release of transmitters from sympathetic nerve terminals, and omega-CTX-sensitive calcium channels may produce a parallel controlling of purinergic and adrenergic components of sympathetic cotransmission. A large dose of diltiazem has inhibitory effects on both prejunctional and postjunctional sympathetic co-transmission. British Journal of Pharmacology (2000) 129, 47 - 52

Perivascular purinergic nerve-induced vasoconstrictions in canine isolated splenic arteries

We tried to induce selective perivascular purinergic nerve stimulation in isolated canine splenic arterial preparations, using the cannula insertion method. Under the conditions of periarterial electrical stimulation (ES), i.e., trains of 1, 3 and 10 pulses, 1-ms pulse duration and 10-V amplitude at 1 Hz, monophasic vasoconstriction was consistently induced. The ES-induced vasoconstriction was not influenced by prazosin in doses that completely inhibited noradrenaline-induced vasoconstrictions, but it was suppressed by alpha,beta-methylene ATP, a P2X purinoceptor desensitizer. Thus, it is indicated that a selective purinergic transmitter release is readily obtained in the isolated splenic arterial preparation.