Differential vagal inhibition of the positive chronotropic and inotropic responses to cardiotonics in the isolated dog atrium.

The effects of vagal nerve stimulation on the chronotropic and inotropic responses to norepinephrine (NE), dobutamine, forskolin, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) and Bay k 8644 were investigated in the isolated, blood-perfused right atrium of the dog. Electrical stimulation of intramural vagal nerves evoked decreases in the sinus rate and atrial contractile force, which were maintained at almost constant levels during stimulation. Vagal stimulation consistently attenuated both the positive chronotropic and inotropic responses to NE, dobutamine, forskolin and IBMX. The vagal inhibition of the chronotropic response to each substance was greater than that of the inotropic one except that to Bay k 8644. Vagal stimulation did not depress the positive chronotropic and inotropic responses to Bay k 8644. These results, therefore, suggest that, under parasympathetic tonic conditions, NE, dobutamine, forskolin and IBMX induce a positive chronotropic effect much less than a positive inotropic effect in the isolated dog atrium. Our results also suggest that the vagal inhibition of the chronotropic response to a beta-adrenoceptor agonist is induced at intracellular sites in the cyclic AMP cascade proximal to the Ca channel activation and also at a site proximal to the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase.