Effects of cooling on alpha-1-adrenoceptor mechanisms in rat aorta

1. The effects of cooling from 37 degrees C to 25 degrees C on alpha-1-adrenoceptor mechanisms in isolated rat aortic strips were studied. 2. The dissociation constant and the maximum binding for [3H]-prazosin, and the pA2-values (negative logarithm of dissociation constant) of clonidine and prazosin against noradrenaline were not influenced by cooling. 3. These results indicate that cooling did not influence the affinity of a competitive antagonist and receptor concentration. 4. Cooling increased the dissociation constant of noradrenaline but decreased its efficacy. 5. A receptor occupancy-response curve for noradrenaline was a rectangular hyperbola at 37 degrees C but linear at 25 degrees C, suggesting that a relationship between the contractile response and receptor occupancy was changed by cooling.