Contraction of guinea pig ileal smooth muscle by acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine

1981 ◽  
Vol 241 (3) ◽  
pp. C130-C133 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. Findlay ◽  
L. M. Lichtenstein ◽  
D. J. Hanahan ◽  
R. N. Pinckard

Acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine (AGEPC) is a chemical that has the biological activity of what was formerly termed platelet-activating factor. We report here that synthetic AGEPC induces the contraction of guinea pig ileal smooth muscle. Antagonists of histamine, acetylcholine, and slow-reacting substances (SRS) do not block AGEPC-induced contraction. These responses were long lasting, resistant to washing, and displayed complete agonist specific desensitization. Histamine- and SRS-induced contractions were unaffected by AGEPC. These studies show that AGEPC has the potential to produce a component of anaphylactically induced smooth muscle contraction.

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 820-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marian E. Addy ◽  
John F. Burka

Three fractions (n-butanol, F2, and L5), isolated from an aqueous extract of Desmodium adscendens, a plant used in Ghana for the management of asthma, were evaluated for their pharmacological activity using ovalbumin and arachidonic acid-induced contractions of guinea pig airways. All three fractions inhibited the ovalbumin-induced contractions of indomethacin-pretreated tracheal spirals from sensitized animals dose dependently, but only L5 and n-butanol inhibited such contractions in the absence of indomethacin. The concentrations required to inhibit ovalbumin-induced contractions of lung parenchymal strips were threefold higher than with trachea. The contractile response over a 60-min period was divided into three phases. F2 and n-butanol inhibited all phases, whereas L5 inhibited only the late phase. n-Butanol and L5 inhibited arachidonic acid-induced contractions on indomethacin-pretreated tracheal spirals, a leukotriene-dependent reaction. There was no inhibition of arachidonic acid-induced contractions of lung parenchymal strips, which is largely a thromboxane-dependent reaction. The results suggest that D. adscendens contains several pharmacologically active substances that can inhibit allergic airway smooth muscle contraction at multiple sites, including the synthesis and (or) activity of the bronchoconstrictor leukotrienes.


2010 ◽  
Vol 298 (5) ◽  
pp. C1118-C1126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaru Watanabe ◽  
Masatoshi Yumoto ◽  
Hideyuki Tanaka ◽  
Hon Hui Wang ◽  
Takeshi Katayama ◽  
...  

To explore the precise mechanisms of the inhibitory effects of blebbistatin, a potent inhibitor of myosin II, on smooth muscle contraction, we studied the blebbistatin effects on the mechanical properties and the structure of contractile filaments of skinned (cell membrane permeabilized) preparations from guinea pig taenia cecum. Blebbistatin at 10 μM or higher suppressed Ca2+-induced tension development at any given Ca2+ concentration but had little effects on the Ca2+-induced myosin light chain phosphorylation. Blebbistatin also suppressed the 10 and 2.75 mM Mg2+-induced, “myosin light chain phosphorylation-independent” tension development at more than 10 μM. Furthermore, blebbistatin induced conformational change of smooth muscle myosin (SMM) and disrupted arrangement of SMM and thin filaments, resulting in inhibition of actin-SMM interaction irrespective of activation with Ca2+. In addition, blebbistatin partially inhibited Mg2+-ATPase activity of native actomyosin from guinea pig taenia cecum at around 10 μM. These results suggested that blebbistatin suppressed skinned smooth muscle contraction through disruption of structure of SMM by the agent.


1986 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
Ana Maria Chagas ◽  
Zuleica Tabarelli ◽  
Ruben Boelter ◽  
Lisandre Kipper ◽  
Rejane Mello Flores ◽  
...  

Animals poisoning by ingestion of Ramaria flava brunnescens fungus found in Eucalipto groves is common in Southern Brazil. This poisoning does not have an effective antidote yet and it is common to avoid the toxicity by removing the animals from these fields or by using atropin when fungus intoxication signals appear. Present work was reallized to elucidate the manner and place of action of this fungus aqueous extract on isolated guinea pig ileum. For this purpose, we used Magnus Bath and strain transducer to Physiograph connect. Experiences were realized with 18 ileum tested with 10 mcg Nicotine. 24.600 mcg Ramaria flavo brunnescens fungus' aqueous extract and 30 mcg Hexametonium. Those concentrations were choosen from pilot experiences. The results showed that uses of this fungus extract provokes smooth muscle contraction similar to that of nicotin, the difference between both occurs due to Hexametone blockade impossibility. This fact suggests that the death mechanism of animals that eat this fungus is not due to ganglionar stimulation.


1988 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 914-920 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. J. Popovich ◽  
G. Sheldon ◽  
M. Mack ◽  
N. M. Munoz ◽  
P. Denberg ◽  
...  

To elucidate mechanisms of platelet-activating factor (PAF)-induced contraction, we studied the effect of PAF on 203 canine tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) strips from 45 dogs in vitro in the presence and absence of platelets. PAF (10(-11) to 10(-7) M) alone caused no contraction of TSM even in the presence of airway epithelium. In the presence of 2 x 10(5) platelets/microliter, PAF was an extremely potent contractile agonist (threshold 10(-11) M). This response was inhibited by the PAF antagonist, CV-3988 (10(-6) M), and reversed by the serotonin antagonist, methysergide (EC50 = 3.7 +/- 0.79 x 10(-9) M). Neither atropine nor chlorpheniramine (10(-9) to 10(-6) M) attenuated the response to PAF + platelets. In the presence of platelets, 10(-7) M PAF caused an increase in perfusate concentration of serotonin from 0.93 +/- 0.037 x 10(-8) to 1.7 +/- 0.046 x 10(-8) M (P less than 0.001). Tachyphylaxis, previously demonstrated to be irreversible, was shown to be a platelet-dependent phenomenon; contraction could be repeated in the same TSM after addition of fresh platelets. We demonstrate that PAF-induced contraction of canine TSM is caused by the release of cellular intermediates such as serotonin from platelets. We also demonstrate the site of PAF-induced tachyphylaxis in airway smooth muscle contraction.


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