Alpha 1-adrenoceptors mediating contraction in arteries of normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats are of the alpha 1D or alpha 1A subtypes.

Alpha 1-Adrenoceptor subtypes mediating contraction in carotid, aorta, mesenteric and caudal arteries from both Wistar Kyoto (WKY) normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats were investigated by using the alpha 1A-adrenoceptor agonist methoxamine and antagonized with selective, competitive antagonists WB-4101, 5-methyl urapidil or BMY 7378 (8-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl)ethyl)-8-azaspiro(4,5)decane -7,9-dione dihydrochloride). Isometric tension changes were recorded after methoxamine addition to the arterial rings, and the effects of the antagonists determined. All the antagonists shifted to the right the concentration-response curve to methoxamine. pA2 values indicate that all arteries but caudal express the alpha 1D-adrenoceptor subtype, since BMY 7378 values were high in these arteries. Due to the high pA2 values for 5-methyl urapidil and WB-4101 and the low values for BMY 7378 we conclude that the tail artery expresses the alpha 1A and not the alpha 1B subtype. No differences were found between both strains of rats, suggesting that hypertension does not modify the alpha 1-adrenoceptors in conductance arteries.