Influence of temperature on the positive inotropic effects mediated by alpha-and-beta-adrenoceptors in the isolated rabbit papillary muscle.

On the isolated rabbit papillary muscle experiments were carried out to determine whether the positive inotropic effects mediated by alpha- and by beta- adrenoceptors are brought about by different mechanisms or not.--For this reason the influence of temperature and the effect of the calcium antagonist D600 on the responses to phenylephrine and to isoprenaline were compared. 1. The maximal inotropic effects of phenylephrine, isoprenaline and calcium were not affected by raising the temperature of the organ bath from 37 degrees to 42 degrees C, wheras the basal developed tension of the muscle was significantly decreased. 2. The dose-response curve for phenylephrine was markedly shifted to the right by raising the temperature (pD2=0.89), while that for isoprenaline was also shifted to the right, but to a lesser extent (pD2=0.23). 3. In the presence of 1.5 times 10-8 M pindolol the shift of the dose-response curve for phenylephrine induced by elevation of temperature was more prominent (pD2=1,91), whereas phentolamine (3 times 10-6 M) inhibited the temperature-induced shift. 4. The positive inotropic effect of phenylephrine--mediated by alpha-adrenoceptors under blockade of beta-adrenoceptors by 1.5 times 10-8 M pindolol--was markedly depressed by D600 (10-7 and 3 times 10-7 M): the dose-response curve was shifted to the right ant the maximal response was depressed. On the other hand, the positive inotropic effect of isoprenaline--mediated by beta-adrenoceptors--was affected to a lesser extent by D600 and the maximal response was not changed. It indicates that the stimulation of alpha- adrenoceptors in the rabbit papillary muscle induces a positive inotropic response through a biochemical process different from that caused via beta- adrenoceptors, i. e., stimulation of alpha- adrenoceptors may increase the intracellular calcium level mainly by changing the transmembrane calcium flux.