Alpha 2-adrenoceptor-mediated contractile response to catecholamines in smooth muscle strips isolated from rainbow...

The type of adrenoceptor involved in the contractile response to catecholamines in smooth muscle strips isolated from rainbow trout stomach was determined. Noradrenaline (10 nM-10 microM) and adrenaline (10 nM-3 microM) caused non-sustained contractions which were markedly decreased by phentolamine (5.4 microM) but not by carteolol (5 microM). Phenylephrine (1 microM-1 mM) was less effective in causing muscle contraction and methoxamine produced no contraction. Clonidine (100 nM-300 microM) caused no mechanical response but inhibited the contraction to noradrenaline or adrenaline but not acetylcholine or 5-hydroxytryptamine. Yohimbine (10 nM-1 microM) decreased the contraction induced by noradrenaline or adrenaline but prazosin (1 microM) did not. Tetrodotoxin (780 nM) partially reduced the contraction induced by noradrenaline or adrenaline but atropine (500 nM) did not. In the presence of atropine (1 microM), electrical transmural stimulation caused frequency-dependent, tetrodotoxin-sensitive contractions. These results suggest that the contractile response induced by noradrenaline or adrenaline is mediated by alpha 2-adrenoceptors. It is also suggested that noradrenaline and adrenaline contract the smooth muscle by direct action and by indirect action through the non-cholinergic excitatory nerve.