The chronotropic action of neurotensin in the guinea pig isolated heart.

Neurotensin (NT) infusions into isolated, perfused, spontaneously beating hearts of guinea pigs evoked a concentration-dependent, positive chronotropic effect which was preceded in some hearts by transient bradycardia. The tachycardia caused by NT was not affected by propranolol, cimetidine, indomethacin, a mixture of methysergide and morphine or by atria removal. The incidence and amplitude of bradycardia caused by NT were increased by neostigmine but reduced by atropine. Neostigmine and atropine also tended to decrease and increase respectively, the tachycardia caused by NT. These results suggest that the positive chronotropic effect of NT in guinea pig isolated heart results from a direct effect on the specialized conduction system of the heart while its negative chronotropic effect is likely to reflect the activation by NT of cardiac vagal cholinergic neurons.