Mediators involved in the rat uterus contraction in calcium-free solution

1. The effect of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase inhibitor ouabain (10(-5)-3 x 10(-4) M), and the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase inhibitors vanadate (6 x 10(-6)-6 x 10(-4) M), oxytocin (2 x 10(-9)-4 x 10(-8) M, and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha, 10(-7)-6 x 10(-6) M) were assayed on rat uterus incubated in Ca-free medium. 2. Vanadate, oxytocin and PGF2 alpha, but not ouabain, induced contractions in a dose-dependent way (ED50: 7.5 +/- 0.03 x 10(-5) M; 6.5 +/- 0.064 x 10(-9) M and 3.8 +/- 0.085 x 10(-7) M). 3. Vanadate (3 x 10(-4) M) and oxytocin (OT, 10 mU/ml = 2 x 10(-8) M)-induced tonic contraction were not modified by nifedipine (10(-10)-10(-6) M), monensin (10(-5)-3 x 10(-4) M) or amiloride (10(-5)-10(-3) M). 4. The intracellular calcium release inhibitors TMB-8 (10(-6)-10(-4) M) and dantrolene (3 x 10(-6)-10(-4) M), and the prostaglandin release inhibitor indomethacin (3 x 10(-8)-6 x 10(-5) M) relaxed the vanadate and OT-induced tonic contractions. 5. The calmodulin inhibitors trifluoperazine (3 x 10(-5)-3 x 10(-4) M), bepridil (10(-8)-3 x 10(-4) M), calmidazolium (10(-7)-10(-4) M) and W-7 (10(-7)-10(-5) M) also relaxed the vanadate and OT-induced tonic contractions. 6. Our results suggest that oxytocin and vanadate-induced contractions on rat uterus in Ca-free medium could be produced by release of prostaglandins and intracellular calcium, and mediated by calmodulin.