Autoradiographic analysis of receptors on vascular endothelium.

Receptor autoradiography was used to examine the distribution of muscarinic cholinoceptors ([3H]QNB), alpha 2-adrenoceptors ([3H]rauwolscine), beta-adrenoceptors ([125I]CYP) and substance P receptors ([125I]BHSP) in rabbit aorta, pulmonary artery, rat aorta, dog aorta, splenic, renal and coronary arteries, bovine aorta and coronary arteries. Muscarinic cholinoceptors and alpha 2-adrenoceptors were not associated with endothelium in any of the blood vessels examined. Substance P receptors were found on endothelium in dog renal but not bovine coronary arteries, and beta-adrenoceptors were found on endothelium in dog coronary arteries but not bovine aorta. The results suggest that endothelium-dependent relaxation can result either from activation of receptors located directly on the endothelial cells or, as is the case for ACh, by an indirect mechanism via activation of receptors located on the vascular smooth muscle.