Adrenergic nerves mediate angiotensin-induced prostaglandin release in the rabbit vas deferens.

The effect of sympathectomy and norepinephrine depletion on prostaglandin (PG) synthesis in response to angiotensins II and III was examined in isolated vasa deferentia of the rabbit. Either 6-hydroxydopamine or surgical denervation significantly depressed norepinephrine concentrations in the vas deferens relative to contralateral controls, thus confirming an effective sympathectomy. Guanethidine also resulted in a significant reduction in norepinephrine concentrations in the vas deferens. Base-line PGE production by the vasa deferentia was not altered by guanethidine but was attenuated by 6-hydroxydopamine and increased by surgical denervation. All the treatments reduced angiotensin-induced PGE synthesis. The effect of denervation on PGE synthesis was greater than that of norepinephrine depletion. We interpret these results to indicate that angiotensins stimulate PGE production by adrenergic nerves in the vas deferens and that released norepinephrine mediates a part of the PGE production in response to the angiotensins. The 6-hydroxydopamine experiments are consistent with the adrenergic nerves being the predominant source of PGE in this preparation.