The actions of neurokinins and substance P in canine pylorus, antrum and duodenum.

Analogues highly selective for receptors for substance P [beta-Ala4,Sar9,Met(02)11]-SP(4-11), for neurokinin A, [Nle10]-NKA(4-10), and for neurokinin B, [beta-Asp4,MePhe7]-NKB(4-10), were administered intraarterially before and after atropine or tetrodotoxin, to characterize the locations on nerve and muscle of the different receptor subtypes in the canine antrum, pylorus and duodenum. Circular muscle strips from each region were also studied in vitro. The NK-2 receptors in the antrum and the pylorus were located postsynaptically on smooth muscle. The NK-3 receptors, on the other hand, were located on neuronal sites in the antrum and duodenum. NK-1 receptors were located on neuronal and nonneuronal sites in the antrum, pylorus and duodenum. Only nonneural receptors could be activated in vitro.