Alpha-receptor stimulation by endogenous and exogenous norepinephrine and blockade by phentolamine in pial arteries of cats.

The question regarding the existence of an alpha-adrenergic component of pial arterial tone was investigated using a microapplication technique combined with the measurement of vascular diameter. Concentration-response curves for the alpha-receptor blocker, phentolamine, revealed no vascular reaction for a concentration range from 2.5 x 10(-11) to 2.5 x 10(-7) M. At higher concentrations (up to 1.3 x 10(-3) M) concentration-dependent dilations were observed. Constrictions of pial arteries induced by perivascular injection of 2.5 x 10(-6) M norepinephrine could be reduced by 38% and 73% when phentolamine was applied simultaneously in concentrations of 2.5 x 10(-7) and 2.5 x 10(-6) M, respectively, whereas constrictions due to 2.5 x 10(-4) M norepinephrine were not reduced by 2.5 x 10(-6) M phentolamine, indicating a competitive antagonism between norepinephrine and phentolamine for pial arteries. Stimulation of the cervical sympathetic chain (90 seconds, 10 v, 1.4 msec, 20 Hz) induced constrictions of pial arteries (mean 12%) which could be reduced by two-thirds during the simultaneous application of 2.5 x 10(-7) M phentolamine. Since the constriction induced by norepinephrine applied exogenously or released endogenously could be reduced by a concentration of phentolamine which had no vascular effect per se, we conclude that the resting tone of the pial arteries is not influenced by an alpha-adrenergic component under our experimental conditions. The dilations induced by high concentrations of phentolamine are believed to be nonspecific.