Characteristics of the responses of isolated and perfused canine splenic arteries to vasoactive substances and to periarterially electrical stimulation.

Pharmacological characteristics of the canine isolated splenic artery were investigated by the cannula insertion method for observing vascular responses to vasoactive agents and periarterial nerve stimulation. Four alpha-adrenoceptor agonists and tyramine induced vasoconstrictions in a dose-dependent manner, and the order of potency was noradrenaline (NA) > phenylephrine > clonidine > methoxamine > tyramine. Xylazine (a selective alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist) did not elicit any vasoconstriction. Several autacoids and KCl also constricted the splenic artery dose-dependently, and the order of potency was 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) >> ATP = histamine >> KCl. The dose-response curves for clonidine and NA were shifted to the right by bunazosin (a selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist), but were not affected by midaglizole (a selective alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist). The parameters of electrical stimulation to elicit a clear and constant vasoconstriction were 0.2 msec of pulse duration, 6 V and 0.1 Hz. The vasoconstrictive responses to electrical stimulation at 6-12 V, 0.1-10 Hz and 0.2-1 msec of pulse duration were completely inhibited by tetrodotoxin (TTX) and strongly inhibited by guanethidine. The results in this study suggest that: 1) in contrast with other regional arteries, the canine splenic artery has an alpha 1-adrenoceptor-related and clonidine-sensitive vasoconstrictive response, 2) this artery has no functional postsynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors, 3) it may be easier to observe the vascular responses to vasoactive agents in the isolated and perfused arterial segments, and 4) the isolated and perfused canine splenic artery is useful as a preparation to study the sympathetic nerve transmission.