PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Methacholine Compounds”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources

Influence of age on responsiveness of rat gastric fundus to agonists and to stimulation of intrinsic nerves.

The contractile effect of methacholine, prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) and electrical stimulation of cholinergic neurones, and the relaxant effect of nitric oxide (NO), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and electrical stimulation of inhibitory non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) neurones were studied in longitudinal smooth muscle strips of the gastric fundus of young (3 months), adult (12 months) and old (24 months) male Wistar rats. The contractile responses to methacholine and to electrical stimulation of cholinergic neurones were not significantly different between the three age groups. The responses to PGF2 alpha were significantly more pronounced in young than in adult and old rats. The relaxant response to electrical stimulation of NANC neurones with a cumulative increase in frequency showed a decreased response in old rats at the higher stimulation frequencies. This was mimicked by a decreased response to VIP, suggesting that there is a decrease in muscular sensitivity to VIP rather than an impaired capacity to VIP release with increasing age. The relaxant response to electrical stimulation of NANC neurones with short trains was similar in the three age groups, while the sensitivity to exogenous NO increased with age. The latter might be a compensatory mechanism for a decrease in stimulation-induced NO release with age.

Aging↗

Muscarinic M2 receptors do not participate in the functional antagonism between methacholine and isoprenaline in guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle.

We investigated whether muscarinic M2 receptors, known to inhibit adenylyl cyclase activity in airway smooth muscle, also inhibit isoprenaline-induced relaxation of guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle, as has recently been described for the dog (Fernandes et al., 1992, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 262, 119). Smooth muscle strips were contracted with various concentrations of methacholine or histamine (which served as a control) in the absence or presence of the M2-selective muscarinic receptor antagonist, gallamine (30 microM), and cumulative isoprenaline-relaxation curves were obtained. It was found that muscarinic M2 receptor blockade had no significant effect on isoprenaline pD2 and Emax values, neither with histamine nor with methacholine. The results show that, in guinea pig trachea, muscarinic M2 receptors do not significantly influence the functional antagonism of cholinergic smooth muscle contraction by isoprenaline.

Animals↗

Chronic exposure to a beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist increases the airway response to methacholine.

Scheduled chronic administration of beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist bronchodilators in patients with asthma recently has been reported to be associated with a worsening of symptoms and an increase in bronchial responsiveness. We wanted to determine whether a 28-day in vivo exposure to albuterol (beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist) altered the response of rabbit airways to the cholinergic agonist methacholine. We found, using in vitro tissue bath techniques, that in mainstem bronchi from rabbits given a 28-day exposure to albuterol, maximum contraction to methacholine was increased in the albuterol-treated group (control group = 1.10 +/- 0.11 g vs. treated group = 1.50 +/- 0.13 g, P < 0.05). The potency (EC75) was also increased in the albuterol-treated group. The potency for the control group was 5.6 microM (95% confidence limit: 2.3-13 microM) and was 1.7 microM (95% confidence limit: 1.1-2.8 microM, P < 0.05) for the albuterol-treated group. In a subgroup of animals, maximum contraction to KCl, a receptor-independent contractile stimulus, was not significantly different between the groups (control group = 0.79 +/- 0.23 g vs. treated group = 0.82 +/- 0.20 g). The potency (EC50) for KCl-induced contractions was also not significantly different between the groups: control = 12 mM (95% confidence limit: 3.3-44 mM) vs. treated 19 mM (95% confidence limit: 18-20 mM). These data demonstrate that chronic in vivo exposure to a beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist can alter the in vitro tissue bath response of airway smooth muscle to methacholine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

Role of histamine in allergen-induced asthmatic reactions, bronchial hyperreactivity and inflammation in unrestrained guinea pigs.

In a new model using conscious, unrestrained and ovalbumin-sensitized guinea pigs, we investigated the effects of the selective histamine H1 receptor antagonist, mepyramine, on the development of allergen-induced early and late asthmatic reactions, bronchial hyperreactivity and airway inflammation, having each animal as its own control. In guinea pigs responding to a first allergen exposure with an early as well as a late asthmatic reaction (82% of the animals) a second, identical, allergen provocation was performed, in the absence (control) or presence of 1 mg/ml mepyramine aerosol, inhaled for 10 min, 1 h before provocation. The mepyramine treatment significantly reduced both early and late asthmatic reactions and prevented the development of bronchial hyperreactivity to histamine and methacholine after both reactions. Examination of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid 24 h after the second allergen provocation revealed a general reduction of inflammatory cells after mepyramine treatment. The results indicate that histamine, released during the early asthmatic reaction, contributes to the development of the late asthmatic reaction as well as of early and late bronchial hyperreactivity, possibly via an effect on airway inflammation.

Allergens↗

Novel 5-HT2-like receptor mediates neurogenic relaxation of the guinea-pig proximal colon.

The aim of the current investigation was to characterize the 5-HT receptors that mediate neurogenic relaxation of the guinea-pig proximal colon. After blockade of 5-HT2A, 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptor-mediated contractions, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) induced relaxations yielding a biphasic concentration-response curve. Other tryptamines were also agonists with the following rank order of potency: 5-HT > 5-carboxamidotryptamine = 5-methoxytryptamine > or = alpha-methyl-5-HT (partial agonist) > tryptamine (partial agonist). 5-Hydroxytryptophan, 2-methyl-5-HT and N-methyltryptamine were virtually inactive as agonists. The curve to 5-HT was not affected by pargyline, citalopram, phentolamine, or by the 5-HT4 receptor antagonists 2-methoxy-4-amino-5-chloro-benzoic acid 2-(diethylamino)ethyl ester (SDZ 205-557) and (1-butyl-4-piperidinylmethyl)-8-amino-7-chloro-1,4-benzodioxan+ ++-5-carboxylate (SB 204070). 8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)-tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), 5-methoxy-3[1,2,3,6-tetrahydroxypyridin-4-yl]-1H-indole (RU 24969), 2-(2,6-dimethoxyphenoxyethyl)aminomethyl-1,4-benzodioxane (WB 4101), 1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine (mCPP), 1-(m-trifluoromethylphenyl)-piperazine (TFMPP), flesinoxan, sumatriptan and 6-chloro-2-(piperazinyl)-pyrazine (MK212) were inactive as 5-HT receptor agonists. The first phase of the curve to 5-HT was inhibited by: metergoline (pA2 = 8.8 +/- 0.3, against 5-methoxytryptamine 9.3 +/- 0.3), methysergide (non-surmountable), methiothepin (non-surmountable), spiroxatrine (non-surmountable), MK212 (non-surmountable), mesulergine (7.8 +/- 0.3), mCPP (7.1 +/- 0.1), mianserin (7.0 +/- 0.4), ritanserin (8.9 +/- 0.2), rauwolscine (7.0 +/- 0.2), yohimbine (6.2 +/- 0.2), 1-(1-naphthyl)-piperazine (7.7 +/- 0.2) and RU 24969 (6.4 +/- 0.1), but not by 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)4-[4-(2-phthalimidobtyl]-piperazine (NAN-190), spiperone, sumatriptan, 8-OH-DPAT and flesinoxan. It is suggested that the 5-HT receptor under study could be considered an unknown 5-HT2-like receptor.

Animals↗

Vitamin E and selenium regulate balance between beta-adrenergic and muscarinic responses in rat lungs.

The effects of hydrogen peroxide on the beta-adrenergic and muscarinic responses of the rat trachea muscle were studied in vitro, after feeding rats, for 6 weeks, either a diet deficient in vitamin E and selenium or a control diet. In the control situation after incubation with 1 mM hydrogen peroxide for 30 min, a reduction of the maximal response to methacholine of 39% occurred whereas no pD2 shift could be demonstrated. Moreover, no response to isoprenaline after precontraction with 3 x 10(-7) M methacholine was left. In the deficient situation, we found a reduction to 64% of the response to methacholine after incubation with 1 mM hydrogen peroxide. Again isoprenaline became inactive, i.e. no relaxation with isoprenaline was observed after precontraction with 3 x 10(-7) M methacholine. We therefore conclude that vitamin E and selenium protect against oxidative stress in lung tissue and thus regulate the (patho-) physiological balance between adrenergic and muscarinic responses.

Animals↗

Spatial localization of the stimulus-induced rise in cytosolic Ca2+ in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. Distinct nicotinic and muscarinic patterns.

The spatial distribution of the intracellular free Ca2+ (Ca2+i) rise elicited by different stimuli in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells was examined in single fura-2-loaded cells. In response to the potent secretagogues nicotine and high K+, Ca2+i was initially localized exclusively to the entire subplasmalemmal area of the cell. In response to the ineffective secretagogues, methacholine and muscarine, the rise in Ca2+i originated only in one pole of the cell and even at the peak of the response Ca2+ was still generally restricted to this same area of the cell. These results suggest that the triggering of exocytosis from these cells requires a specific spatial distribution of Ca2+i.

Adrenal Medulla↗

The caffeine-sensitive Ca2+ store in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells; an examination of its role in triggering secretion and Ca2+ homeostasis.

The effect of caffeine on catecholamine secretion and intracellular free Ca2+ concentration [( Ca2+]i) in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells was examined using single fura-2-loaded cells and cell populations. In cell populations caffeine elicited a large (approximately 200 nM) transient rise in [Ca2+]i that was independent of external Ca2+. This rise in [Ca2+]i triggered little secretion. Single cell measurements of [Ca2+]i showed that most cells responded with a large (greater than 200 nM) rise in [Ca2+]i, whereas a minority failed to respond. The latter, whose caffeine-sensitive store was empty, buffered a Ca2+ load induced by a depolarizing stimulus more effectively than those whose store was full. The caffeine-sensitive store in bovine chromaffin cells may be involved in Ca2+ homeostasis rather than in triggering exocytosis.

Adrenal Medulla↗

Rat pancreatic zymogen granules. An actively acidified compartment.

In this study, we looked for acidification in pancreatic zymogen granules as recently reported for other secretory vesicles. In intact dispersed acinar cells, acidic intracellular compartments identified by fluorescence microscopy using acridine orange corresponded exactly to the distribution of zymogen granules visualized by light microscopy. Acridine orange fluorescence in zymogen granules was reversibly dissipated by protonophores (carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, monensin) and NH4Cl; and the percentages of cytoplasmic area occupied by the acidic compartments and by zymogen granules were identical under fasting conditions and decreased in parallel after in vivo cholinergic stimulation. Zymogen granules released acutely from hypotonically disrupted cells without homogenization also accumulated acridine orange. Red-orange fluorescence in released granules was also abolished by protonophores and NH4Cl; and it reappeared after washout of protonophores in the presence, but not absence of adenosine triphosphate. Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, which inhibits all proton pumps, and N-ethylmaleimide, which inhibits the proton pump of endocytic vesicles and lysosomes, but not mitochondria, prevented this adenosine triphosphate-dependent reappearance of acridine orange fluorescence, whereas vanadate did not. In contrast to these observations with zymogen granules in situ or acutely released from disrupted cells, granules isolated by conventional multistep homogenization/centrifugation procedures did not exhibit adenosine triphosphate-dependent acidification or development of a positive membrane potential as measured by quenching of acridine orange or Oxonol V, respectively. The latter findings may indicate release of inhibitors or granule damage during isolation. Collectively, the present results provide direct evidence that zymogen granules contain an active acidification mechanism which appears similar to that of other secretory vesicles and endosomes. This acidification process may have important implications for the storage, stabilization, and secretion of intragranular proteins including proenzymes.

Acridine Orange↗