Functional evaluation of the receptors mediating vasoconstriction of rat aorta by trace amines and amphetamines

Trace amines including β-phenylethylamine (β-PEA) and amphetamines classically exert pharmacological actions via indirect sympathomimetic mechanisms. However, there is evidence for other mechanisms and this study explores the receptors mediating vasoconstriction in rat aorta. β-PEA, d-amphetamine, MDMA, cathinone and methylphenidate caused concentration-dependent contractions of rat isolated aortic rings which were unaffected by prazosin (1 μM), ICI-118,551 (1 μM), cocaine (10 μM) and pargyline (10 μM), to inhibit α1- and β2-adrenoceptors, neuronal transport and monoamine oxidase (MAO), respectively. Octopamine concentration-response curves, however, were shifted to the right. In the presence of the inhibitors, the rate of onset of octopamine contractions was slowed. Lineweaver-Burk analysis of the kinetics of the response generated different KM values for octopamine in the absence (2.35 × 10(-6)M) and presence (6.09 × 10(-5)M) of inhibitors, indicating mediation by different receptors. Tryptamine-induced vasoconstriction also resisted blockade by adrenergic inhibitors and the 5-HT1A, 1B, 1D and 5-HT2A receptor antagonists, methiothepin (50 nM) and ketanserin (30 nM), respectively. Trace amines and amphetamines therefore exert vasoconstriction independently of adrenoceptors, neuronal transport and 5-HT receptor activation. There was no evidence of tachyphylaxis or cross-tachyphylaxis of the vasoconstriction to these amines. Tyramine was a partial agonist and in its presence, β-PEA, d-amphetamine and octopamine were antagonised indicating that they all act through a common receptor for which tyramine serves as an antagonist. We conclude that the vasoconstriction is via TAAR-1, because of structural similarities between amines, ability to stimulate recombinant trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR-1) and the presence of TAAR-1 in rat aorta.