Purinergic and adrenergic transmission and their presynaptic modulation in canine isolated perfused splenic arteries

Vasoconstrictions induced by periarterial electrical stimulation were analysed pharmacologically in the canine isolated perfused splenic artery. Phentolamine enhanced the vasoconstrictions at 1 Hz but inhibited those at 10 Hz. Suramin and P2x purinoceptor desensitization with alpha,beta-methylene ATP abolished the phentolamine-enhanced and -resistant vasoconstrictions. alpha,beta-Methylene ATP inhibited the vasoconstrictions at 1 Hz and by exogenous ATP but did not change those at 10 Hz and by exogenous noradrenaline. Suramin reduced the vasoconstrictions by the electrical stimulations and alpha,beta-methylene ATP but did not affect those by exogenous ATP. Prazosin did not affect the vasoconstrictions at 1 Hz but inhibited those at 10 Hz. Rauwolscine enhanced the prazosin-resistant vasoconstrictions. These results suggest that the electrical stimulation at 1 Hz releases purinergic transmitters (ATP or a closely related compound) as a dominant candidate for the vasoconstrictions, and a co-released noradrenaline may inhibit the release of purinergic transmitters through presynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors in the canine splenic artery.