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Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol (March 18, 2004). doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00609.2003
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Submitted on October 20, 2003
Accepted on March 13, 2004

Effects of Ca2+ channel antagonists on acetylcholine and catecholamine releases in the in vivo rat adrenal medulla

Tsuyoshi Akiyama1*, Toji Yamazaki1, Hidezo Mori1, and Kenji Sunagawa2

1 Department of Cardiac Physiology, National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Suita, Osaka, Japan
2 Department of Cardiovascular Dynamics, National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Suita, Osaka, Japan

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: takiyama{at}ri.ncvc.go.jp.

To elucidate the types of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels controlling acetylcholine and catecholamine releases in the in vivo adrenal medulla, we implanted microdialysis probes in the left adrenal medulla of anesthetized rats and investigated the effects of Ca2+ channel antagonists on acetylcholine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine releases induced by nerve stimulation. The dialysis probes were perfused with Ringer's solution containing a cholinesterase inhibitor, neostigmine. The left splanchnic nerves were electrically stimulated at 2 and 4 Hz before and after intravenous administration of Ca2+ channel antagonists. {omega}-Conotoxin GVIA (an N-type Ca2+ channel antagonist, 10 µg/kg) inhibited acetylcholine release at 2 and 4 Hz by about 40%, norepinephrine release at 4 Hz by about 50%, and epinephrine release at 2 and 4 Hz by about 45%. A 5-fold higher dose of {omega}-conotoxin GVIA (50 µg/kg) did not further inhibit these releases. {omega}-Conotoxin MVIIC (a P/Q-type Ca2+ channel antagonist, 50 µg/kg) inhibited acetylcholine and epinephrine releases at 4 Hz by about 30%. Combined {omega}-conotoxin GVIA (50 µg/kg) and MVIIC (250 µg/kg) inhibited acetylcholine release at 2 and 4 Hz by about 70%, norepinephrine and epinephrine releases at 2 and 4 Hz by about 80%. Nifedipine (an L-type Ca2+ channel antagonist, 300 and 900 µg/kg) did not change acetylcholine release at 2 and 4 Hz, but nifedipine (300 µg/kg) inhibited epinephrine release at 4 Hz by 20% and nifedipine (900 µg/kg) inhibited norepinephrine and epinephrine releases at 4 Hz by 30%. In conclusion, both N- and P/Q-type Ca2+ channels control acetylcholine release on pre-ganglionic splanchnic nerve endings while L-type Ca2+ channels do not. L-type Ca2+ channels are involved in norepinephrine and epinephrine releases on chromaffin cells.







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