Pharmacological characterization of the contractile responses to angiotensin analogues in guinea-pig isolated longitudinal muscle of small intestine.

1. The contractile responses to angiotensin II, angiotensin III and two synthetic analogues, [Lys2]angiotensin II and [Sar1]angiotensin II, in the guinea-pig isolated longitudinal muscle preparation of small intestine have been characterized in vitro. 2. Tachyphylaxis to the angiotensin analogues was reduced by use of a Krebs-Henseleit solution containing a raised (sub-contractile) concentration of potassium (11.2 mM). Under these conditions. reproducible cumulative concentration-response curves to all agonists were established. The pD2 estimates for angiotensin II, [Lys2]angiotensin II, angiotensin III and [Sar1]angiotensin II were 9.15 +/- 0.14, 7.42 +/- 0.06, 7.69 +/- 0.18 and 9.50 +/- 0.15 respectively and the maximum responses achieved were not significantly different. 3. The contractile responses to angiotensin II, angiotensin III and [Sar1]angiotensin II were reduced by greater than 80% by tetrodotoxin (TTX; 0.1 microM). However, the responses to [Lys2]angiotensin II were reduced by only 63 +/- 5%. Atropine (0.1 microM) also reduced the responses to angiotensin II, angiotensin III and [Lys2]angiotensin II, although its effect was less than that produced by TTX. Furthermore, while responses to these agonists were not significantly modified by the NK1 receptor antagonist (+/-)-CP-96,345 (30 nM) alone, the combined pre-incubation with both atropine and (+/-)-CP-96,345 reduced maximum agonist responses to a level not significantly different from those produced by TTX. 4. Indirect and direct contractile responses to angiotensin II and [Lys2]angiotensin II (in the presence of TTX) respectively were characterized by use of the selective AT1 receptor antagonist, losartan and the AT2 receptor antagonist, PD123177. Losartan produced parallel rightward displacement of the concentration-response curve to angiotensin II and [Lys2]angiotensin II, with an estimated pKB of 8.56(8.42-8.68) and 9.18 (8.63-9.50) respectively. The AT2 receptor antagonist, PD123177 (3 microM) failed to modify the contractile responses to either angiotensin II or [Lys2]angiotensin II.5. We conclude that two populations of angiotensin II receptors exist in the guinea-pig longitudinal muscle of small intestine, one located neuronally mediating the release of both acetylcholine and substance P and the other located on the smooth muscle mediating direct contractile responses. The neuronal component provides the major contribution to the agonist responses. Both receptor populations are of the AT1 receptor subtype.