Action of alpha 2A-adrenergic receptors in circular smooth muscle of canine proximal colon.

Addition of the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor agonist clonidine (1 microM) to tetrodotoxin-treated strips of canine colonic circular smooth muscle resulted in a significant increase in contractile force that was blocked by addition of the alpha 2-antagonist yohimbine (0.1 microM). The alpha 2-receptor antagonist radioligand [3H]rauwolsine bound rapidly and reversibly to a single class of saturable sites (Bmax, 38.4 +/- 6.2 fmol/mg protein) in colonic circular smooth muscle membranes with an affinity (KD = 5.1 +/- 0.9 nM) characteristic of alpha 2-adrenergic receptors in smooth muscle. Studies in cells freshly isolated from circular muscle of canine proximal colon verified the smooth muscle origin of these receptors. Rank order of potency of alpha 2-adrenergic receptor antagonists in competition for [3H]rauwolsine binding was yohimbine greater than oxymetazoline much greater than prazosin. Affinity of alpha 2-receptors for yohimbine was indistinguishable from that of its optical isomer, rauwolsine, in both competition studies (KI = 3.4 nM) and in saturation-binding experiments employing [3H]yohimbine directly (KD = 4.2 nM). The alpha-receptor agonist epinephrine, in competition studies employing [3H]rauwolsine, revealed high-affinity binding sites that were converted to low-affinity binding sites for agonist by addition of 100 microM GTP gamma S. Addition of the alpha 2 more-selective agonist clonidine (100 microM) resulted in inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity that was abolished by pretreatment of tissue strips with pertussis toxin suggesting coupling of the alpha 2-receptor in colon to adenylate cyclase via the GTP-binding protein Gi. Our data demonstrate a physiological role for adenylate cyclase-coupled receptors of the alpha 2A-subtype in canine colon circular smooth muscle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)