Variation in sensitivity of alpha adrenoceptor-mediated contraction of the vascular smooth muscle of rabbit elastic and muscular arteries is related to receptor affinity.

Norepinephrine sensitivity (pD2) and agonist dissociation constant (pKA) have been determined in the following 12 rabbit arteries: thoracic and abdominal aorta, basilar, ear, common, external and internal iliac, ovarian, large and medium pulmonary, renal and superior mesenteric. They were determined in the presence of beta adrenoceptor blockade and uptake 1 and uptake 2 inhibition to prevent compromising additional actions of norepinephrine and intrinsic processes that influence its concentration at the site of action. In the superior mesenteric artery, determinations were made after endothelial inactivation and in the presence of indomethacin, because in this vessel blockade by these procedures influences norepinephrine sensitivity. In 12 arteries a positive correlation was found between norepinephrine pD2 and pKA (r = 0.74, P less than .01). The slope of the regression line did not differ from unity. Norepinephrine pD2 did not correlate with receptor reserve in these arteries when assessed as antilog pD2-pKA. In three arteries, the ear and common and external iliac, a large receptor reserve was found. If these were excluded from the series, the following correlation would be found: r = 0.9; P less than .001. Here again the slope of the regression line did not differ from unity. The pD2 and pKA were determined for the more selective alpha-1 adrenoceptor agonist, phenylephrine in six of these arteries, and similar results were obtained. The KB for prazosin in this series did not correlate with norepinephrine KA (r = 0.45, P greater than .05), and the slope (0.17) was not significantly different from zero. The pD2 for histamine, determined after H2 receptor blockade, does not differ in the arteries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)