Characterization of 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced relaxations of guinea-pig proximal colon

The 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor by which 5-HT can evoke nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) relaxations in isolated guinea-pig proximal colon was characterized using a variety of 5-HT receptor agonists and antagonists. In the presence of atropine (0.2 microM), guanethidine (5 microM) and ketanserin (10 microM), a concentration-dependent relaxation was obtained with 5-HT (apparent mean pEC50 value 6.43), 5-CT (5.64) and 5-CH3-T (5.02); 8-OH-DPAT, TFMPP, GR43175 and 5-OCH3-N,N-DMT (up to 100 microM) did not relax the guinea-pig proximal colon. The nonselective 5-HT receptor antagonist, metitepine (0.1 microM), the 5-HT1C/5-HT2 receptor antagonists, mianserin (1 microM) and pizotifen (0.1 microM), and the 5-HT1A/5-HT2 receptor antagonists spiperone (3 microM) shifted the concentration-response curves for 5-HT to the right. The 5-HT1A/5-HT1B receptor antagonist, cyanopindolol (0.3 microM) and a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, ICS205-930 (1 microM) failed to block the 5-HT-induced NANC relaxation. In conclusion, the experiments with agonists and antagonists are compatible with the view that a 5-HT1-like receptor is involved in 5-HT-induced NANC relaxations of the guinea-pig proximal colon.