Functional localization of specific receptors mediating gastrointestinal motor correlates of vomiting

The gastrointestinal motor correlates of vomiting consist of two contractile events, 1) a giant retrogradely propagated contraction of the upper small intestine, the retrograde giant contraction (RGC) and 2) a series of post-RGC phasic contractions that occur primarily in the lower small intestine. The effects of cholinergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic, and opioid receptor antagonists and an opioid receptor agonist on vomiting and its gastrointestinal motor correlates initiated by apomorphine (APO), CuSO4, or cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) were determined in awake dogs. Atropine blocked the retrograde giant contraction only, and hexamethonium blocked all jejunoileal motor responses activated by APO, CuSO4, or CCK-8. Domperidone blocked all effects of APO only, whereas haloperidol, methysergide, 1-(1-naphthyl) piperazine, and fentanyl blocked or inhibited responses to both APO and CuSO4. None of the dopaminergic, serotonergic, or opioid receptor antagonists or the opioid receptor agonist affected the gastrointestinal motor responses to CCK-8. Cinanserin or Sch 23390 had no effect on any of the responses activated by APO, CuSO4, or CCK-8. These results suggested that D2 dopaminergic and 5-HT2 serotonergic receptors of the emetic central pattern generator mediate vomiting and its gastrointestinal motor correlates, whereas opioid receptors may mediate tonic inhibition of these responses. In addition, peripheral muscarinic or nicotinic cholinergic receptors but not peripheral 5-HT2, dopaminergic, or opioid receptors mediate the gastrointestinal motor correlates of vomiting.