Norepinephrine and adenosine triphosphate release in different ratio from guinea pig vas deferens by high potassium chloride, ouabain and monensin.

Release of norepinephrine (NE) and ATP from the guinea pig vas deferens evoked by ouabain in combination with monensin or by high KCl was measured by a high-pressure liquid chromatography-ECD and luciferin-luciferase assay, respectively. Ouabain (10-100 microM) induced a concentration-dependent liberation of NE, which was enhanced by 10 microM monensin, a Na+-ionophore. The marked NE release elicited by the combined administration of both the drugs was unaffected by Ca++-removal but was reduced by lowering Na+ from the medium. This NE release in the Ca++-free medium was diminished markedly after treatment with 6-hydroxydopamine or reserpine and in low-temperature (25 degrees C) medium. This release was also decreased by ruthenium red (10-30 microM), an uptake inhibitor of Ca++ to mitochondria, and carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (10 microM), a metabolic inhibitor. On the other hand, 100 mM KCl caused a moderate, extracellular Ca++-dependent release of NE. ATP-outflow from the tissue evoked by 100 microM ouabain plus 10 microM monensin was almost unaltered by Ca++-removal but was inhibited by 6-hydroxydopamine or prazosin (0.3 microM), whereas release induced by high KCl was reduced by 6-hydroxydopamine and Ca++-free medium but was unaffected by prazosin. ATP/NE ratios at respective maximum effluxes evoked by 100 mM KCl and ouabain plus monensin were 6.59 and 0.22, respectively. These findings suggest that there may be more than one site of corelease for NE and ATP. Ouabain plus monensin seems to produce an extracellular Ca++-independent neuronal release of NE and ATP from the cytoplasmic and vesicular storage sites which predominantly release NE.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)