Characterization of the adenosine receptors of the rat superior cervical ganglion

Expression of adenosine A2a receptor gene in rat dorsal root and autonomic ganglia

The adenosine A2a receptors (A2aR) play an important role in the purinergic mediated neuromodulation. The presence of A2aR in the brain is well established. In contrast, little is known about their expression in the periphery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of A2aR gene in the autonomic (otic, sphenopalatine, ciliary, cervical superior ganglia and carotid body) and in the dorsal root ganglia of normal rat. Hybridization histochemistry with S35-labelled radioactive oligonucleotide probes was used. An expression of A2aR gene was found in the large neuronal cells of the rat dorsal root ganglia. The satellite cells showed no expression of A2aR gene. In the superior cervical ganglion, isolated ganglion cells expressed A2aR. In the carotid body clusters of cells with a strong A2aR gene expression were found. In contrast, the ciliary and otic ganglia did not expressed A2aR gene, and only few small sized A2aR expressing cells were demonstrated in the sphenopalatine ganglion. The discrete distribution of A2aR gene expression in the peripheral nervous system speaks for a role of this receptor in the purinergic modulation of sensory information as well as in the sympathetic nervous system.

Studies on the release and extracellular metabolism of endogenous ATP in rat superior cervical ganglion: support for neurotransmitter role of ATP

The release of endogenous ATP, measured by the luciferin-luciferase assay, and the release of [3H]acetylcholine from the isolated superior cervical ganglion of the rat loaded with [3H]choline were studied simultaneously. Electrical field stimulation enhanced the release of endogenous ATP and acetylcholine in a [Ca2+]o-dependent manner. The Na+ channel blocker, tetrodotoxin (1 microM) inhibited the stimulation-evoked release of endogenous ATP and of [3H]acetylcholine, but did not change the resting release. The release of ATP was dependent on the frequency of stimulation between 2 and 10 Hz. when the number of shocks was kept constant (360 shocks), while acetylcholine was not released in a frequency-dependent fashion. Ten days after cutting of the preganglionic nerve of the superior cervical ganglion the stimulation-evoked release of acetylcholine and ATP was abolished and the uptake of [3H]choline was significantly reduced but not inhibited. Hexamethonium, (100 microM) a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, significantly reduced the release of both acetylcholine and ATP, indicating a positive feedback modulation of ACh and ATP release. 8-Cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (10 nM), the selective A1-adenosine receptor antagonist exhibited similar effect on the release of ATP and acetylcholine: both of them were augmented, showing that the stimulation-evoked release of ATP and acetylcholine are under the inhibitory control of A1-adenosine receptors. When the temperature was reduced to 7 degrees C to inhibit carrier-mediated processes, the resting and stimulated release of acetylcholine was not changed. Conversely, the release of ATP in response to stimulation was reduced by 79.9 +/- 5.6%, and the basal release was also almost completely blocked. Carbamylcholine by itself was able to release ATP, but not acetylcholine, in a hexamethonium-inhibitable manner, even from ganglia whose preganglionic nerve had been cut 10 days prior to experiments, suggesting that ATP release can occur in response to nicotinic receptor stimulation of postsynaptic cells. The breakdown of ATP or AMP by superior cervical ganglion was measured by high performance liquid chromatography combined with UV detection. ATP and AMP, added to the tissues, were readily decomposed: the Km (apparent Michaelis constant) and Vmax (apparent maximal velocity) were 475 +/- 24 microM and 3.50 +/- 0.18 nmol/min per mg for ectoATPase and 1550 +/- 120 microM and 14.5 +/- 0.9 nmol/min per mg tissue for 5'-nucleotidase. In addition, by using electron microscopic enzyme histochemistry, the presence of ectoATPase was also shown in the superior cervical ganglion. It is concluded that endogenous ATP and acetylcholine are released simultaneously in response to stimulation of preganglionic nerve terminals in the superior cervical ganglion in a [Ca2+]o-dependent, tetrodotoxin-sensitive manner and is metabolized by ectoenzymes present in the tissue. The dissociation of the release of ATP and acetylcholine at different stimulation frequencies and temperatures shows that the release-ratio of acetylcholine and ATP can vary upon the condition of stimulation: this can reflect either the different composition of synaptic vesicles in the preganglionic nerve terminals or a significant contribution of non-exocytotic, carrier-mediated type of release of ATP to the bulk release.

Structure-activity relationship of a pyrimidine receptor in the rat isolated superior cervical ganglion

1. The effects of pyrimidines and purines on the d.c. potential of the rat isolated superior cervical ganglion (SCG) have been examined by a grease-gap technique to determine the structure-activity requirements of the receptor activated by pyrimidines, i.e. a pyrimidinoceptor. 2. 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranosyl (ZTP), the pyrimidines, cytidine 5'-triphosphate (CTP), uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) and thymidine 5'-triphosphate (TTP) and the purines, adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP; in the presence of an A1-purinoceptor antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX) (1 microM)), adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (ATP gamma S), guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP), inosine 5'-triphosphate (1TP) depolarized ganglia in a concentration-dependent manner. The relative order of ZTP and purine 5'-triphosphates in depolarizing ganglia was ZTP > or = ATP gamma S > > ATP > or = ITP = GTP, and for the pyrimidine 5'-triphosphates UTP > TTP > or = CTP. Depolarizations evoked by ATP gamma S were followed by concentration-dependent hyperpolarizations at 100 and 1000 microM. 3. At concentrations of between 0.1 microM and 1 mM, uridine 5'-diphosphate (UDP), uridine 5'-diphosphoglucose (UDPG) and uridine 5'-diphosphoglucuronic acid (UDPGA) evoked significant and concentration-dependent depolarizations, whereas uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP), uridine and uracil were inactive or produced small (< 45 microV) depolarizations. The relative order of potency of uridine analogues in depolarizing ganglia was UDP > or = UTP > UDPG > UDPGA > > uracil > or = UMP = pseudouridine > or = uridine. At 3 and 10 mM, uridine produced concentration-dependent hyperpolarizations. Nikkomycin Z, a nucleoside resembling UTP (viz. the triphosphate chain at the 5'-position on the ribose moiety being replaced by a peptide), was inactive between 1 microM and 1 mM. Generally, a concentration of 10 mM was required before thymidine, 6-azathymine, 6-azauracil or 6-azauridine depolarized ganglia. 4. Suramin (300 microM), a P2-purinoceptor antagonist, significantly depressed depolarizations evoked by alpha, beta-methylene-ATP (alpha, beta-MeATP; 100 microM), ATP gamma S (100 microM), CTP (1 mM), GTP (1 mM), ZTP (30 microM) and ATP (300 microM) in the presence of DPCPX (1 microM). Suramin reversed a small depolarization evoked by UMP (1 mM) into a small hyperpolarization. In contrast depolarizations evoked by UDP, UTP, UDPG (all at 100 microM) and TTP (300 microM) were unaltered or enhanced by suramin. 5. It is concluded that the rat SCG contains distinct nucleotide receptors including a P2-purinoceptor (activated by alpha, beta-MeATP, ATP, GTP, ITP and ZTP) and a pyrimidinoceptor (activated by UTP, UDP, UDPG, UDPGA and TTP). The pyrimidinoceptor on rat SCG neurones had specific structure activity requirements with the di- and triphosphates of uridine being the most effective depolarizing agonists examined.

Adenosine selectively depresses muscarinic compared with non-muscarinic receptor mediated depolarisation of the rat superior cervical ganglion

1. A grease gap d.c. recording technique was used to measure electrophysiological responses of the isolated rat superior cervical ganglion. 2. Adenosine at 100 microM depressed depolarisations to the muscarinic agonists carbachol, muscarine and methylfurmethide. In contrast adenosine (100 microM) did not alter depolarisations to 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium, 2-methyl-5-hydroxytryptamine and potassium and enhanced depolarisations to 5-hydroxytryptamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid. 3. Adenosine-induced depressions of the depolarisations to carbachol, muscarine, and methylfurmethide tended to be increased in the presence of 0.3 microM methoctramine (a muscarinic receptor antagonist with slight selectivity for M2 receptors). The increase was statistically significant (P < 0.01) for carbachol. 4. Medium containing 0.1 mM Ca2+ and 0.3 microM pirenzepine augmented the hyperpolarising phase of the response to carbachol. Adenosine (10-300 microM) hyperpolarised ganglia and did not significantly alter the hyperpolarisation to 0.3 or 1 microM carbachol but selectively reduced the depolarisation response to 3 microM carbachol. 5. Adenosine-induced hyperpolarisations (100 microM) were enhanced when applied during depolarisations to muscarinic agonists (muscarine, pilocarpine, N-methyl-N-(l-methyl-4-pyrrolidine-2-butynyl)acetamide (BM-5)), and other M-current inhibitors, barium and eledoisin-related-peptide. Adenosine induced hyperpolarisations were not affected by D-Ala6-luteinizing-hormone-releasing-hormone or uridine 5'-triphosphate which produced small depolarisations. 6. It is concluded that adenosine acts selectively in opposing mechanisms of depolarisation of the rat SCG that are due to the action of muscarinic agonists (acting via M1-receptors) and by other M-current inhibitors.

Discrimination between UTP- and P2-purinoceptor-mediated depolarization of rat superior cervical ganglia by 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'- disulphonate (DIDS) and uniblue A

1. Using a grease-gap recording technique we have investigated the effects of some antagonists of P2-purinoceptors on the depolarization of the rat isolated superior cervical ganglion evoked by 100 microM alpha, beta-methylene-adenosine 5'-triphosphate (alpha,beta-MeATP) or uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP). The effects of the putative P2Z-purinoceptor antagonist, coomassie brilliant blue G, putative P2X-purinoceptor antagonist, 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulphonate (DIDS) and uniblue A (an analogue of the P2Y- and P2X-purinoceptor antagonist reactive blue 2) were investigated. 2. At the highest concentration examined uniblue A (300 microM) depressed alpha,beta-MeATP-induced depolarization and at 100 and 300 microM enhanced UTP-evoked depolarizations. Coomassie brilliant blue G (1 and 10 microM) did not affect depolarizations evoked by alpha,beta-MeATP or UTP. Depolarizations evoked by potassium (5 mM) or muscarine (100 nM) were unaltered by either coomassie brilliant blue G or uniblue A. Uniblue A (100 and 300 microM) produced a concentration-dependent depression of hyperpolarizations evoked by adenosine (100 microM) whereas coomassie brilliant blue G at up to 10 microM, did not alter adenosine-induced hyperpolarizations. 3. DIDS (30 and 100 microM) did not alter adenosine-evoked hyperpolarizations, or depolarizations evoked by potassium or UTP. DIDS at 100 microM did not alter depolarizations evoked by muscarine. In contrast DIDS produced a concentration-dependent depression of alpha,beta-MeATP-evoked depolarizations. 4. These results are consistent with the proposal that uniblue A and DIDS but not coomassie brilliant blue G are antagonists of P2-purinoceptors and that uniblue A is also an antagonist at P1-purinoceptors present on the rat superior cervical ganglion. 5. The ability of uniblue A and DIDS to distinguish between depolarizations evoked by UTP and alpha,beta-MeATP provides further justification for the proposal that these nucleotides activate separate receptors present on the rat superior cervical ganglion, i.e. pyrimidinoceptors and P2-purinoceptors respectively.

Differentiation by pyridoxal 5-phosphate, PPADS and IsoPPADS between responses mediated by UTP and those evoked by alpha, beta-methylene-ATP on rat sympathetic ganglia

1. The effect of pyridoxal 5-phosphate, and the 2',4' and 2',5'-disulphonic acid isomers of 6-azophenylpyridoxal 5-phosphate (PPADS and IsoPPADS respectively) on depolarization of the rat superior cervical ganglion evoked by alpha, beta-methylene-adenosine 5'-triphosphate (alpha, beta-Me-ATP) and uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) were determined by a grease-gap recording technique. 2. Pyridoxal 5-phosphate (10-100 microM) and PPADS (10-100 microM) enhanced UTP- and depressed alpha, beta-Me-ATP-evoked depolarizations but did not significantly alter depolarizations evoked by potassium or hyperpolarizations evoked by adenosine. IsoPPADS (10 microM) depressed alpha, beta-Me-ATP-evoked depolarizations but did not alter depolarizations evoked by UTP. Depolarizations evoked by muscarine were depressed by IsoPPADS but not by pyridoxal 5-phosphate. 3. It is concluded that pyridoxal 5-phosphate, PPADS and IsoPPADS are antagonists at P2x-purinoceptors but not at the receptors that mediate UTP-evoked depolarization of the rat superior cervical ganglion. These observations substantiate the recent proposal that the rat superior cervical ganglia possess distinct receptors for purine and pyrimidine 5'-nucleotides, i.c. P2x-purinoceptors and pyrimidinoceptors respectively.

Adenosine analogs inhibit acetylcholine release and cyclic AMP synthesis in the guinea-pig superior cervical ganglion

The ability of adenosine agonists to modulate the electrically evoked release of acetylcholine (ACh) from [3H]choline preloaded guinea-pig superior cervical ganglia (SCG) was investigated. The adenosine A1-receptor selective agonist N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) and 2-chloroadenosine (2-CADO) inhibited the evoked transmitter release, the effect being reversed by the A1-receptor selective antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX), and by sulmazole (SUL), which blocks both the A1-receptor and the adenylate cyclase inhibitory regulator Gi. In whole ganglia, CHA decreased both the basal and the forskolin (FSK)-stimulated cyclic AMP synthesis. The latter effect was again prevented by the A1 antagonist DPCPX. These results are compatible with the existence, in the guinea-pig SCG, of adenosine A1-receptors, part of which are located on the presynaptic nerve terminals mediating an inhibition of ACh release.

Reactive blue 2 discriminates between responses mediated by UTP and those evoked by ATP or alpha,beta-methylene-ATP on rat sympathetic ganglia

The effect of reactive blue 2, a P2 purinoceptor antagonist on depolarisation of the rat superior cervical ganglion evoked by ATP, alpha,beta-methylene-ATP (alpha,beta-Me-ATP) and uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) was determined. UTP, alpha,beta-Me-ATP and ATP (in the presence of an A1 purinoceptor antagonist) produced a depolarisation in that order of potency. Reactive blue 2 (30 microM) antagonised alpha,beta-Me-ATP-evoked depolarisations without altering responses evoked by adenosine or UTP. Reactive blue (100 or 300 microM) enhanced UTP- and depressed alpha,beta-Me-ATP- or ATP- (at 100 microM reactive blue 2) evoked depolarisations. These results indicate that rat superior cervical ganglia possess purinoceptors and pyrimidinoceptors.

Action of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides on the rat superior cervical ganglion

1. Using a grease-gap technique, we have investigated the effects of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides on the d.c. potential of the rat isolated superior cervical ganglion (SCG). 2. Of the purines tested, adenosine, adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), beta,gamma-methylene-adenosine 5'-triphosphate (beta,gamma-MeATP) at up to 300 microM produced concentration-dependent hyperpolarizations, whereas 2-methyl-thio-ATP (2-Me.S.ATP) and alpha,beta-methylene-ATP (alpha,beta-MeATP) depolarized ganglia. Of the pyrimidines tested, uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) produced concentration-dependent depolarizations and cytosine 5'-triphosphate (CTP) at 1000 microM produced considerably smaller but significant depolarizations. In contrast uridine 5'-monophosphate (UMP) at 1000 microM hyperpolarized ganglia. The relative order of potency of purines and pyrimidines to depolarize ganglia was: UTP > alpha,beta-MeATP >> CTP > 2-Me.S.ATP and to hyperpolarize ganglia was: adenosine = beta,gamma-MeATP > ATP > UMP. 3. The ability of purines and pyrimidines to alter the depolarizing response caused by muscarine and of purines to alter depolarization induced by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was determined. The relative order of potency of nucleotides in depressing submaximal depolarization caused by muscarine (100 nM) was: adenosine = ATP > beta,gamma-MeATP whereas 2-Me.S.ATP, alpha,beta-MeATP and UTP did not significantly alter depolarization caused by muscarine. At 100 microM beta,gamma-MeATP and adenosine but not ATP potentiated GABA-induced depolarizations. 4. Hyperpolarizations caused by adenosine, ATP, beta,gamma-MeATP and UMP and depolarizations caused by alpha,beta-MeATP were enhanced in medium containing reduced concentrations of calcium (0.1 mM) and potassium (2 mM). In this medium 8-phenyltheophylline abolished hyperpolarizations caused by adenosine and reversed hyperpolarizations caused by ATP into depolarizations. Suramin (300 microM), a P2-purinoceptor antagonist, significantly reduced the depolarizing response caused by alpha,beta-MeATP and significantly increased hyperpolarizations caused by ATP and Beta,gamma-MeATP. Suramin (300 microM) did not significantly alter depolarizations caused by l,l-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium (10 microM), potassium(3 mM) or muscarine (100 nM) and significantly potentiated depolarizations caused by UTP (100 microM).5.It is concluded that the rat SCG contains PI-purinoceptors that hyperpolarize the ganglion and diminish sensitivity to muscarine, and P2X-purinoceptors that depolarize the SCG. There is also some evidence to suggest the presence of receptors for UTP, i.e., pyrimidinoceptors, which depolarize SCG neurones.