It has been suggested that there is a link between epinephrine synthesis and the development of β2-adrenoceptor-mediated effects, but it remains to be determined whether this development is triggered by epinephrine. The aim of this study was to characterize β-adrenoceptor-mediated relaxation and facilitation of norepinephrine release in the aorta of phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase-knocko...

It has been suggested that there is a link between epinephrine synthesis and the development of b2-adrenoceptor–mediated effects, but it remains to be determined whether this development is triggered by epinephrine. The aim of this study was to characterize b-adrenoceptor–mediated relaxation and facilitation of norepinephrine release in the aorta of phenylethanolamine-Nmethyltransferase–knockou...

Glutathione (GSH) exerts a variety of cytoprotecive effects, but is readily depleted from cells under a variety of stressful stimuli. The impact of GSH depletion on receptor-mediated activity in rat hepatocytes has been studied with regard to glycogenolysis stimulated with a-adrenoceptor agonists or glucagon, which exert their actions through different signalling pathways. Depletion of GSH cont...

Increased pressor responses to norepinephrine and other pressor agents have been reported to occur in human essential hypertension and in several animal models of experimental hypertension. These increased responses might be related to the development of hypertension or could be a secondary consequence of the elevation in blood pressure. We have examined pressor responses to alpha-adrenoceptor ...

AIM To study the effects of adrenoceptor agonists on the stellate ganglion neurons. METHODS Intracellular recordings were made from neurons of the isolated rat stellate ganglia. RESULTS Noradrenaline and clonidine (10-30 mumol.L-1) reversibly depressed 3 types of calcium-dependent potentials, namely, the action potential shoulder; the spike after-hyperpolarization; the Ca2+ spike evoked in ...

It has been reported that trypan blue, a diazo dye with polyamphipathic structure, can inhibit the coupling of receptors to G-proteins. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of trypan blue on the actions of adrenoceptor agonists in the guinea-pig atrium. Trypan blue (10 and 100 microM) antagonized the positive inotropic effects of isoprenaline and dobutamine by shifting th...

1. I1 non-adrenoceptor, imidazoline receptor agonists, such as moxonidine, increase urine flow rate and sodium excretion following infusion into the renal artery. The functions of these agonists in genetic and acquired models of hypertension have not been determined. 2. We therefore studied the renal effects of two known non-adrenoceptor, imidazoline receptor agonists, rilmenidine and moxonidin...

Recent studies indicate that norepinephrine-induced contractile oscillations in the tail artery from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) may be a vascular phenomenon independent of blood pressure level. The objectives of this study were: (1) to characterize pharmacologically the alpha-adrenoceptor mediating norepinephrine-induced oscillations in tail artery; and (2) to investig...

On most adrenergic and cholinergic nerve terminals, prejunctional α-adrenoceptors belonging to the α2-subtype have been identified. Activation of these receptors will decrease the release of norepinephrine. It has been reported that several isolated tissue preparations contain prejunctional dopamine receptors, the stimulation of which inhibits neurotransmission. It has remained uncertain whethe...

New long-acting beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists, formoterol and salmeterol, may soon appear in several European countries for treatment of asthma. This review examines currently available information and compares the basic pharmacology and describes the clinical effects of these new drugs. The long duration of bronchodilation seen in clinical studies seems to be similar, whereas in isolated tissue...