Inotropic effect of PGE1 and PGE2 on isolated rat atria. Influence of adrenergic mechanisms.

The effects of a wide range of PGE1 and PGE2 concentrations on the isometric developed tension of isolated rat atria beating spontaneously or paced at a fixed rate, were explored. PGE1 only produced a negative inotropic effect (NIE), whereas PGE2 elicited a biphasic inotropic action; negative at low concentrations and positive (PIE) at higher ones. Phenoxybenzamine and phentolamine failed to modify either the NIE or the PIE, but subthreshold exogenous norepinephrine abolished the NIE, suggesting a presynaptic inhibitory effect of PGEs on the adrenergic neurotransmitter release. Auricles pretreated with subthreshold norepinephrine react with a PIE to PGE1, but not to PGE2. On the contrary in the presence of subthreshold methoxamine the PIE of PGE2 was increased whereas the action of PGE1 was not modified.