Effects of parathyroid hormone and related polypeptides on the heart and coronary circulation of dogs.

The effects of parathyroid hormone and related polypeptides on the heart were examined using the canine heart-lung preparation supported by a donor. Synthetic bovine parathyroid hormone (PTH) containing 34 amino acids [PTH-(1--34)] and natural bovine PTH containing 84 amino acids [PTH-(1--84)] showed slight positive chronotropic and inotropic action and prominent coronary vasodilator action. The effects of the two compounds were very similar. The cardiac stimulatory action was not blocked by pindolol. The coronary vasodilation occurred without increase in the myocardial oxygen consumption, suggesting that it is due to a direct action on the coronary vasculature. All effects occurred soon after intra-arterial injection, lasted only about 20 min, and were not accompanied by changes in plasma Ca and Pi levels. Fragments of PTH, PTH-(24--34) containing 11 amino acids. PTH-(24--28) containing 5 amino acids, and PTH-(25--27) containing 3 amino acids showed very weak transient coronary dilatory action without cardiac stimulatory effects.