Characterization of the 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor which mediates contraction of the human isolated basilar artery.

This paper reports part of a study which investigated the identity of the receptor involved in 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) mediated contraction of the human basilar artery in vitro. 5-HT and a variety of 5-HT receptor agonists contracted human isolated basilar artery with a rank order of agonist potency: 5-carboxamidotryptamine greater than 5-HT greater than GR43175 much much greater than 2-methyl-5-HT. The maximum response produced by these agonists differed. The contractile responses to both 5-HT and GR43175 were resistant to antagonism by the 5-HT2 antagonist ketanserin and the 5-HT3 antagonist GR38032, indicating that neither 5-HT nor GR43175 activate 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors in this tissue. In striking contrast, methiothepin (an antagonist at 5-HT1-like receptors) proved a potent antagonist of the contractile actions of both 5-HT and GR43175. Methiothepin did not antagonize the contractile response to the thromboxane-A2 mimetic U-46619. It is concluded that 5-HT and GR43175 contract the human isolated basilar artery by activating 5-HT1-like receptors. It is suggested that the antimigraine action of GR43175 may reflect its ability to constrict certain cranial arteries via 5-HT1-like receptor activation.