Selective inhibition by nifedipine of the purinergic component of neurogenic vasoconstriction in the dog mesenteric artery.

The neurogenic contractions evoked by perivascular sympathetic nerve stimulation of dog mesenteric artery consist of purinergic and adrenergic components, and these components were selectively inhibited by alpha, beta-methylene ATP and prazosin, respectively. We examined the effects of Ca antagonists on both these components in dog mesenteric arteries. Nifedipine (10(-8)-10(-6) M) inhibited the purinergic and adrenergic contractions evoked by transmural electrical stimulation, and this inhibition was more evident for the purinergic component of the response. Nifedipine was also more potent to inhibit the contractile response to alpha, beta-methylene ATP than it was to inhibit the responses to noradrenaline. Verapamil and diltiazem also inhibited the purinergic and adrenergic responses induced by transmural electrical stimulation, alpha, beta-methylene ATP or noradrenaline, but the extend of the inhibition was less than that seen with nifedipine. These three Ca antagonists had little effect on the 3H efflux evoked by electrical transmural stimulation of arteries that had been preincubated with [3H]noradrenaline. These results show that nifedipine is a selective inhibitor of the purinergic component of contractions evoked by sympathetic nerve stimulation of blood vessels.