Angiotensin peptides and prostaglandin E2 synthesis: modulation of neurogenic responses in the rabbit vas deferens.

Isolated rabbit vasa deferentia were used to study the neuromodulation induced by angiotensins II and III (AII and AIII) upon both phases of the electrically stimulated contraction (ESC). AIII (10(-8)-10(-7) M) was shown to inhibit the ESC at low frequencies (2-10 Hz), while AII tended to potentiate both phases. Since AIII had no effect on contractions induced by exogenous ATP (twitch, putative transmitter), or norepinephrine (NE; tonic, neurotransmitter), AIII effects were presumed to be presynaptic. AIII neuromodulation was reversed by indomethacin, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) mimicked the inhibitory effects of AIII on ESC. The response to AIII was blocked by [Sar1,Ala8]AII (10(-6) M), an angiotensin antagonist. AIII (10(-9)-10(-5) M) stimulated PGE2 synthesis in a concentration-dependent manner. AII (10(-9)-10(-7) M) produced a dramatic rise in PGE2 synthesis, which declined sharply at higher AII concentrations. AII increased the overflow of [3H]NE approximately 50% (P less than 0.01; in the absence of indomethacin); similar concentrations of AIII did not affect [3H]NE release. However, 4 X 10(-8) M AIII in the presence of 26 microM indomethacin significantly (P less than 0.05) increased [3H]NE overflow. Thus, AIII inhibited ESC presynaptically by stimulating PGE2 synthesis, while AII potentiated these contractions presynaptically by enhancing NE release during nerve stimulation. Despite the greater inhibitory effect of AIII on force, AII was more potent than AIII in stimulating PGE2 production.