Cyclic GMP inhibits the inotropic response to alpha 1-adrenoceptors in the papillary muscle of the ferret.

The physiological role of cyclic GMP in the heart remains controversial. In the present study we investigated the interaction between a number of agents known to increase the level of cyclic GMP in the myocardium and alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation in isolated preparations of cardiac papillary muscle in the ferret. Inotropic responses to the cumulative addition of phenylephrine were measured in papillary muscles of the ferret in the absence and presence of 1 microM sodium nitroprusside, 1 microM atrial natriuretic peptide, 0.1 microM substance P (which stimulates the release of nitric oxide from endocardial endothelium) or 1 microM 8-bromo-cyclic GMP. In parallel experiments using similar preparations, alpha 1-induced hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol was assessed by measuring changes in the levels of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in response to 10 microM phenylephrine in the absence and presence of the same agents that increase the level of cyclic GMP. Phenylephrine (0.001-10 microM) induced a concentration-dependent positive inotropic effect that was significantly inhibited by each of the agents that increase cyclic GMP. Phenylephrine (10 microM) induced an approximately three-fold rise in the level of inositol trisphosphate in the myocardium, which was likewise significantly inhibited by each of the agents that increase cyclic GMP. These data show that agents that increase the level of cyclic GMP in the myocardium inhibit both the positive inotropic and phosphatidylinositol response to alpha 1-stimulation in isolated preparations of papillary muscle in the ferret.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)