Sympathetic vasoconstriction sensitive to alpha 2-adrenergic receptor blockade. No evidence for preferential innervation of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors in the canine femoral bed

Contribution of alpha2-adrenoceptors and Y1 neuropeptide Y receptors to the blunting of sympathetic vasoconstriction induced by systemic hypoxia in the rat

There is evidence that sympathetically evoked vasoconstriction in skeletal muscle is blunted in systemic hypoxia, but the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not clear. In Saffan-anaesthetized Wistar rats, we have studied the role of α₂-adrenoceptors and neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y₁ receptors in mediating vasoconstriction evoked by direct stimulation of the lumbar sympathetic chain by different patterns of impulses in normoxia (N) and systemic hypoxia (H: breathing 8% O₂). Patterns comprised 120 impulses delivered in bursts over a 1 min period at 40 or 20 Hz, or continuously at 2 Hz. Hypoxia attenuated the evoked increases in femoral vascular resistance (FVR) by all patterns, the response to 2 Hz being most affected (40 Hz bursts: N = 3.25 ± 0.75 arbitrary resistance units (RU); H = 1.14 ± 0.29 RU). Yohimbine (Yoh, α₂-adrenoceptor antagonist) or BIBP 3226 (Y₁-receptor antagonist) did not affect baseline FVR. In normoxia, Yoh attenuated the responses evoked by high frequency bursts and 2 Hz, whereas BIBP 3226 only attenuated the response to 40 Hz (40 Hz bursts: N + Yoh = 2.1 ± 0.59 RU; N + BIBP 3226 = 1.9 ± 0.4 RU). In hypoxia, Yoh did not further attenuate the evoked responses, but BIBP 3226 further attenuated the response to 40 Hz bursts. These results indicate that neither α₂-adrenoceptors nor Y₁ receptors contribute to basal vascular tone in skeletal muscle, but both contribute to constrictor responses evoked by high frequency bursts of sympathetic activity. We propose that in systemic hypoxia, the α₂-mediated component represents about 50% of the sympathetically evoked constriction that is blunted, whereas the contribution made by Y₁ receptors is resistant. Thus we suggest the importance of NPY in the regulation of FVR and blood pressure increases during challenges such as systemic hypoxia.

Frequency- and train length-dependent variation in the roles of postjunctional alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors for the field stimulation-induced neurogenic contraction of rat tail artery

The present paper examines the roles of postjunctional alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors for the noradrenaline (NA)-induced neurogenic contractile response to field stimulation mainly with 1-100 pulses at 2 or 20 Hz, in the tail artery of adult normotensive rats. Pharmacological tools were employed to isolate and characterize the alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptor-mediated components of this response. The degree to which the drugs influenced NA release or reuptake was assessed by their effects on the electrochemically determined, stimulation-induced rise in the NA concentration at the innervated outer surface of the media. This response was unaffected by alpha,beta-methylene ATP (10 microM) or suramin (500 microM), added to desensitize or block P2-purinoceptors, respectively prazosin (0.1 microM) or SK&F 104078 (6-chloro-9-[(3-methyl-2-butenyl)oxyl]-3-methyl- 1H-2,3,4,5-tetrohydro-3-benzazepine, 0.1 microM), used to block postjunctional alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors respectively, nifedipine (10 microM), blocker of Ca2+ influx through L-type channels, and ryanodine (10 microM), which blocks mobilization of Ca2+ from intracellular stores; it was moderately enhanced by yohimbine (0.1 microM), blocker of pre- and postjunctional alpha 2-adrenoceptors, and strongly enhanced by cocaine (3 microM) or desipramine (1 microM), blockers of NA reuptake. Judging from their inhibitory effects on the contractile responses to the alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists, phenylephrine and xylazine, prazosin (0.1 microM) and SK&F 104078 (0.1 microM) could be used to selectively block alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors respectively, while yohimbine (0.1 microM) was less selective, strongly depressing alpha 2- and slightly depressing alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated responses. The alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated component of the contractile response to short trains at 20 Hz was fast in onset, brief in duration and abolished by ryanodine; that mediated by alpha 2-adrenoceptors was more delayed, prolonged and insensitive to ryanodine. Both components were dose-dependently depressed by nifedipine (0.1-10 microM). The small contractile responses to single pulses, or up to 50 pulses at 2 Hz, or short train (< 4 pulses) at 20 Hz, were more markedly depressed by 0.1 microM yohimbine or SK&F 104078 than by 0.1 microM prazosin and, hence, mediated mainly by alpha 2-adrenoceptors. The reverse was true of the much larger response to longer trains at 20 Hz, which thus probably was mediated mainly by alpha 1-adrenoceptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Evidence for functional alpha 2-adrenoceptors on vascular sympathetic nerve endings in the human forearm

The role of alpha 2-adrenoceptors on vascular sympathetic nerve endings in modulating release of the sympathetic neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) in humans was examined by measuring the regional rate of appearance of NE in forearm venous plasma (forearm NE spillover [FSO]) in 32 healthy volunteers during intra-arterial infusion of drugs acting at adrenoceptors or directly on vascular smooth muscle. Simultaneous intra-arterial infusions of tracer amounts of [3H]NE were used to calculate the extraction rate of NE in the forearm. Methoxamine or propranolol with epinephrine (PRO + EPI) was used to stimulate alpha-adrenoceptors, yohimbine was used to inhibit alpha-adrenoceptors, and sodium nitroprusside (NIP) was used to produce increases in forearm blood flow directly. Sympathetic efferent activity was manipulated by systemic intravenous infusions of NIP or trimethaphan. Yohimbine and NIP increased and PRO + EPI and methoxamine decreased NE FSO, without effects on systemic blood pressure, heart rate, or arterial levels of catechols. Changes in FSO were flow dependent; therefore, the slope of the relation between the changes in FSO and forearm blood flow was used to evaluate the effects of each drug on regional sympathoneural activity. During administration of yohimbine, the mean slope of the relation between the change in estimated FSO and the change in forearm blood flow was about four times that of the mean slope during administration of NIP (F = 6.35, p less than 0.05). The slopes of the relations between changes in FSO and forearm blood flow were unaffected by systemic trimethaphan or NIP infusion, indicating that the activity of alpha 2-adrenoceptors was not altered during inhibition or reflexive stimulation of sympathetic outflow. The results suggest that alpha 2-adrenoceptors modulate release of NE from vascular sympathetic nerve endings in humans and that the function of these receptors is unchanged during acute changes in junctional NE concentrations.

Differential activation of alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors on microvascular smooth muscle during sympathetic nerve stimulation

The relative contribution of postjunctional alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors to constriction of microvessels was examined during sympathetic nerve stimulation and sympathetic escape (difference between peak and steady-state constriction). Large arterioles (120 +/- 4 microns control diameter) and venules (174 +/- 6 microns) and small arterioles (13 +/- 4 microns) were examined in rat cremaster skeletal muscle during stimulation of the cremaster efferent innervation (decentralized lumbar sympathetic chain, 0.5-16 Hz, 2-minute train). The muscle was suspended in a tissue bath, and diameter was measured with intravital microscopy. Frequency-response curves were obtained after vehicle (prazosin or rauwolscine) was added to the bath. In large arterioles, prazosin (10(-7) M) significantly attenuated constriction by 60-80%; a fivefold higher concentration had no additional effect. In contrast, rauwolscine (1 to 5 x 10(-7) M) had no effect. Venules evidenced minimal response to nerve stimulation. In small arterioles, rauwolscine (5 x 10(-7) M) significantly attenuated constriction by 50-60%, while prazosin (10(-7) M) had no effect. These data suggest that for large arterioles, which are known to possess both receptors, alpha 1-adrenoceptors are preferentially stimulated by nerve-released norepinephrine. In contrast, sympathetic constriction of small arterioles is mediated by alpha 2-adrenoceptors. Compared with large arterioles, small arterioles exhibited greater peak and steady-state constriction at all frequencies, with maximal responses achieved over the 0.5-4 Hz range. Large arterioles exhibit graded constriction over the entire frequency range. Sympathetic escape exhibited a small, negatively correlated frequency dependence for large arterioles, tended to be greater for small arterioles, and was more evident in large arterioles during alpha 2-adrenoceptor constriction at low-frequency stimulation. This distinct neural control of large resistance vessels by alpha 1-adrenoceptors and small terminal arterioles by alpha 2-adrenoceptors may allow neurogenic regulation of these vessel segments to be differentially susceptible to modulation by other extrinsic and intrinsic vasoactive controls that preferentially interact with alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic contractile mechanisms.

Differential effects of calcium antagonists and Bay K 8644 on contractile responses to exogenous noradrenaline and adrenergic nerve stimulation in the rabbit ear artery

1. The effects of three calcium antagonists (nifedipine, verapamil, diltiazem) and the calcium agonist Bay K 8644 were compared on contractile responses of similar amplitude elicited by noradrenaline (NA) and electrical nerve stimulation (ENS) in the rabbit isolated ear artery. 2. Contractions induced by both NA (3 x 10(-7) M) and ENS (10 Hz, 10s) were almost exclusively mediated by alpha 1-adrenoceptors, since 10(-7) M prazosin abolished (NA) or almost abolished (ENS) the responses, and prazosin was more than three orders of magnitude more potent than rauwolscine on both types of response. 3. ENS-induced contractions were considerably less inhibited by nifedipine, verapamil and diltiazem than were those elicited by NA. Bay K 8644 enhanced responses to NA more than those to ENS. 4. The inhibitory effect of nifedipine and Ca2+ deprivation on NA-induced contractions decreased with increasing NA concentration. Reduction of the NA response by prazosin or phenoxybenzamine increased the nifedipine inhibition. 5. Reduction of the ENS-induced contractions by prazosin or phenoxybenzamine, or by use of a lower stimulation frequency did not increase the inhibitory effect of nifedipine. 6. In conclusion, the differential effects of the calcium antagonists on NA- and ENS-induced contractions were not related to differences in alpha-adrenoceptor subtype (alpha 1/alpha 2), receptor reserve or response amplitude, but may rather reflect temporal and spatial differences in alpha-adrenoceptor activation between the responses.

Effect of acidosis on contraction of microvascular smooth muscle by alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors. Implications for neural and metabolic regulation

Our previous studies have identified that adrenergic regulation of large arterioles and venules in skeletal muscle uses both postjunctional alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors, whereas terminal arterioles appear to be subserved primarily by alpha 2-receptors. Adrenergic constriction of terminal arterioles is known to be particularly susceptible to inhibition by increased tissue metabolic rate. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of tissue acidosis on alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptor constriction of skeletal muscle microvessels to determine if this differential receptor distribution might have significance in neural-metabolic interactions. Intravital microscopy of rat cremaster skeletal muscle was used to obtain concentration-response curves (diameter changes) of large distributing arterioles (mean diameter, 100 microns), small precapillary arterioles (20 microns), and capacitance venules (150 microns) for addition to the tissue bath of alpha-adrenergic agonists during normal pH (7.4) and during tissue bath acidosis (pH 7.1) produced by increasing bath PCO2. The following alpha-agonists were used: phenylephrine (alpha 1), B-HT 933 (alpha 2), and norepinephrine (mixed alpha 1/alpha 2). Acidosis had no effect on baseline diameter of the three vessel types, indicating a lack of effect on "intrinsic tone." Acidosis also had no effect on large microvessel sensitivity to phenylephrine but markedly reduced responses to B-HT 933. Acidosis had no effect on large arteriolar and venular sensitivity to norepinephrine but markedly decreased (x300) small precapillary arteriolar sensitivity. These data suggest that 1) alpha 2- but not alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated constriction of microvessels may be selectively sensitive to modest reductions in tissue pH, and 2) the prevalence of alpha 2-receptors on terminal arterioles and the marked sensitivity of alpha 2 constriction to tissue acidosis may contribute to the particular susceptibility of neural constriction at this level of the microcirculation to metabolic inhibition.

Role of alpha-adrenoceptor subtypes mediating sympathetic vasoconstriction in human digits

The effects of intra-arterial administration of alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists and antagonists on human digital blood flow were studied before and during reflex sympathetic vasoconstriction in normal subjects. Total finger flow was measured by venous occlusion air plethysmography and capillary flow by the disappearance rate of a radioisotope from a local injection in a fingerpad. Intra-arterial phenylephrine (0.2-1.3 micrograms min-1) and clonidine (0.12-0.48 micrograms min-1) produced dose-related decreases in finger blood flow and increases in vascular resistance. Clonidine was the more potent vasoconstrictor. Prazosin (0.4-3 micrograms min-1) effectively blocked the vasoconstrictor effect of phenylephrine but not clonidine, while yohimbine (30-70 micrograms min-1) blocked the effect of clonidine but not phenylephrine. In a 20 degrees C room, prazosin (0.4-13.2 micrograms min-1) caused no significant changes in finger blood flow (7.7 +/- 2.1 to 11.7 +/- 3.3 ml min-1 100 ml-1) or vascular resistance (30.9 +/- 8.8 to 28.1 +/- 8.7 mmHg ml-1 min-1 100 ml-1). In the 20 degrees C room, yohimbine (30-70 micrograms min-1) produced a significant increase in finger blood flow (7.8 +/- 2.8 to 23.4 +/- 6.8 ml, P less than 0.01) and decrease in vascular resistance (20.5 +/- 5.7 to 6.0 +/- 2.2 units, P less than 0.01). No significant changes occurred in finger capillary flow with prazosin or yohimbine infusions. It is concluded that alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenoceptors are present in human digital vasculature and that alpha-2 adrenoceptors are more important than alpha-1 adrenoceptors in sympathetic neural vasoconstriction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Postsynaptic alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors in human blood vessels: interactions with exogenous and endogenous catecholamines

The relative efficacy of epinephrine and norepinephrine on vascular alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors and also the difference in vasoconstriction induced by exogenous norepinephrine as opposed to neuronally released norepinephrine were studied in the forearm of healthy volunteers. Intra-arterial cumulative dose infusions of epinephrine and norepinephrine (0.6, 1.6 and 4.0 ng kg-1 min-1) were given in the presence of saline, the selective alpha 1-antagonist doxazosin (0.1 microgram kg min-1) the selective alpha 2-antagonist yohimbine (1.0 microgram kg min-1) and the combination of both antagonists. beta-Adrenoceptor-mediated effects were prevented by a concomitant i.a. infusion of propranolol (1.0 microgram kg-1 min-1). Forearm blood flow (FBF) was measured before each infusion and at the end of each dose step. Neuronal norepinephrine was released by i.a. infusion of tyramine in three cumulative doses (0.25, 0.50 and 1.25 micrograms kg-1 min-1) and by lower body negative pressure (LBNP, -40 mmHg for 5 min). Changes in FBF were measured without and with concomitant i.a. infusions of the aforementioned doses of doxazosin and yohimbine. In the LBNP experiment the opposite arm was used as a control. Forearm blood flow was measured by plethysmography. Epinephrine and norepinephrine induced an equal and dose-dependent vasoconstriction, which was significantly inhibited by doxazosin as well as yohimbine and to a greater extent by the combination of the antagonists. No differences were found between epinephrine and norepinephrine in this respect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Lack of involvement of alpha-adrenoceptors in sympathetic neural vasoconstriction in the hindquarters of the rabbit

The hypothesis that sympathetic nerves in arterial blood vessels activate excitatory receptors distinct from alpha-adrenoceptors was investigated in vivo in the rabbit. In anaesthetized, ganglion-blocked rabbits, graded stimulation of the lumbar sympathetic nerve chains caused graded hind limb vasoconstriction. The responses to single pulses and short trains of stimuli were unaffected by benextramine (10 mg kg-1) and the longer trains were enhanced. Phenoxybenzamine (5 mg kg-1) slightly reduced the responses to short trains of stimuli and did not affect the responses to long trains. The dose-response curve to intra-arterial noradrenaline (after beta-adrenoceptor blockade) was shifted rightwards about ten fold by benextramine (10 mg kg-1) and by phenoxybenzamine (5 mg kg-1). In conscious rabbits the vasoconstriction caused by the nasopharyngeal reflex initiated by smoke inhalation was unaffected by benextramine (10 mg kg-1). Small mesenteric arteries (less than 250 microns) taken from untreated rabbits responded to noradrenaline with a threshold concentration of about 1 microM. Similar tissues from benextramine (10 mg kg-1)-treated rabbits were unresponsive to noradrenaline at concentrations up to 300 microM. However, these tissues were able to respond to potassium and angiotensin II. Aortic ring segments taken from the same rabbits were only about ten fold less sensitive to noradrenaline than segments from control rabbits. These results are in accord with the hypothesis that sympathetic nerves activate non-alpha-receptors in the vasculature of the rabbit.

Postsynaptic alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic receptors in adrenergic control of capacitance vessel tone in vivo

The involvement of postsynaptic alpha 2-adrenergic receptors in the adrenergic constriction of the capacitance vessels was studied in anesthetized, spontaneously breathing dogs under ganglionic blockade (hexamethonium, 10 mg/kg + 10 mg/kg/hr; methylatropine, 0.5 mg/kg). Effective vascular compliance was measured as an indicator of venous tone (blood volume was varied by +/- 4 ml/kg in an 11-minute cycle of infusion, withdrawal, withdrawal, and reinfusion) and was calculated from the correlation between the observed changes in central venous pressure and the changes in blood volume. Sympathetic activity and central venous pressure were lower and effective vascular compliance was higher than values in untreated conscious dogs. The alpha 2-agonist UK 14,304 (5-bromo-6-[imidazolin-2-ylamino]-quinoxaline; 0.04 and 0.12 micrograms/kg/min; n = 6) dose-dependently lowered compliance and increased central venous pressure to levels found in conscious dogs, as did the alpha 1-agonist methoxamine (10 and 30 micrograms/kg; n = 6). Rauwolscine (alpha 2-antagonist), 0.3 mg/kg, significantly attenuated the effects of UK 14,304, but not those of methoxamine, while prazosin (alpha 1-antagonist), 0.12 mg/kg, attenuated the effects of methoxamine, but not those of UK 14,304 (n = 6 each). Under beta-blockade (nadolol, 2 mg/kg; n = 12) venous tone was increased to about physiological levels by norepinephrine, 0.15 micrograms/kg/min i.v., or by neuronal norepinephrine release induced by tyramine, 10 micrograms/kg/min i.v. These increases were significantly attenuated by prazosin as well as by rauwolscine and were abolished by a combination of both. These results indicate that postsynaptic alpha 2-adrenergic receptors (in addition to alpha 1-adrenergic receptors) are functional in the venous system in vivo and contribute substantially to adrenergic sympathetic and humoral regulation of venous tone.