Inhibition by sulfur-containing amino acids and GABA of sympathetic neurotransmission in guinea-pig vas deferens.

Electrical stimulation produced a contraction in the isolated guinea-pig vas deferens. This response was blocked by tetrodotoxin, guanethidine and bretylium but not by atropine. The magnitude of the contractile response to electrical stimulation depended on the concentration of the external calcium. Sulfur-containing amino acids and GABA inhibited the electrically induced contraction but not that caused by noradrenaline and ATP. The order of potency for inhibition of the contraction at a concentration of 10(-4) M being GABA greater than or equal to cysteine greater than methionine greater than cysteic acid greater than taurine. The contractile response to electrical stimulation was also inhibited by EGTA, this inhibition being similar to that by cysteic acid and taurine but weaker than that by methionine, cysteine and GABA at a concentration of 10(-4) M. The inhibitory action of sulfur-containing amino acids and GABA was abolished by increasing the calcium concentration in the medium. The results suggest that sulfur-containing amino acids and GABA reduce transmitter release from the sympathetic nerve terminals by inhibiting calcium availability for the transmitter secretion process.