Modulatory effects of substance P on norepinephrine induced vasoconstrictor responses in the rat mesentery

1. The role of substance P (SP) in adrenergic transmission has been studied in the isolated perfused rat mesentery. 2. Intra-arterial perfusion of SP (4 x 10(-9) to 4 x 10(-7)M) produced a dose dependent potentiation of norepinephrine (NE) induced vasoconstrictor responses and a shift of the log dose--response curve to the left. 3. Saralasin, a specific antagonist of angiotensin II (ang. II) when perfused at a concentration of 3 x 10(-9)M did not change the NE responses as such. However, the potentiating effect of SP could not be demonstrated in the presence of saralasin. 4. Indomethacin, a prostaglandin (PG) synthetase inhibitor, when perfused at a concentration of 2.8 x 10(-6)M, markedly attenuated the vascular responses to NE, which could not be normalized by the addition of SP. 5. It appears that SP's potentiating effect on NE responses in the perfused rat mesentery simulates ang. II and not prostaglandins. A direct non-specific post synaptic sensitizing effect of SP on vascular smooth muscle cell, for its potentiating property, cannot be ruled out.