Effects of purinoceptor agonists on smooth muscle from hypertrophied rat urinary bladder

Tension responses induced by the purinoceptor agonists ATP and the stable ATP analogue alpha, beta-methylene ATP were investigated in isolated muscle strips from normal and hypertrophic urinary bladders from the rat. Hypertrophy was induced by a partial ligation of the urethra giving an increase in mean bladder weight from 65 mg to 300 mg. Activation with ATP and alpha, beta-methylene ATP caused phasic, concentration-dependent, contractions. The sensitivity to ATP was about 100-fold lower than that for alpha, beta-methylene ATP. The force of the contractions induced by the purinoceptor agonists was significantly lower in the hypertrophied bladder compared to the controls. The kinetics of the ATP-induced responses was studied by photolytic release of ATP from caged-ATP in intact fibre bundles. The rate of contraction following photolytic release of ATP was slower, and the force amplitude lower, in the hypertrophic preparations compared to the controls. The results suggest changes in the purinoceptor function or in the responses of the contractile system to transient increases in intracellular Ca2+ in the hypertrophic bladder.