Rat isolated atria were incubated with 3H-noradrenaline and the intramural sympathetic nerves were stimulated at 2 Hz for 60 s. The stimulation-induced (SI) efflux of radioactivity was used as an index of release of transmitter noradrenaline. 2. Isoprenaline (0.1 mumol/L) alone did not increase noradrenaline release. Cocaine (30 mumol/L) produced a 73% increase in the stimulation-induced release of noradrenaline. In the presence of cocaine, isoprenaline enhanced noradrenaline release by 22%. 3. In the presence of cocaine, both angiotensin I (0.3 mumol/L) and angiotensin II (0.3 mumol/L) produced almost two-fold enhancements in the SI release of noradrenaline. 4. Captopril (5 mumol/L) blocked the facilitatory effect of angiotensin I on noradrenaline release but did not alter that of isoprenaline. 5. Saralasin (0.1 mumol/L) reduced the facilitatory effect of angiotensin II on noradrenaline release but did not alter that of isoprenaline. 6. The findings indicate that the facilitation of noradrenaline release by isoprenaline in rat atria is not mediated by local formation of angiotensin II.
