Actions of calcitonin gene-related peptide and tachykinins in relation to the contractile effects of capsaicin in the guinea-pig and rat heart in vitro

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Abstract
1. The effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), neurokinin A (NKA), neuropeptide K (NPK) and substance P (SP) on contractility of the guinea-pig and rat heart were studied in vitro in relation to the response to capsaicin. 2. Human (h) CGRP alpha (a) and beta (β) were equipotent in stimulating the contractile force and rate of the spontaneously beating guinea-pig right atrium. 3. Both NKA and NPK inhibited contractile force and rate in the guinea-pig atrium whilst a mainly negative chronotropic effect was observed in the whole heart. SP did not influence cardiac contractility. 4. Human CGRP α and β mimicked the contractile effects of capsaicin in the guinea-pig atrium. In the whole heart preparation, hCGRP α and capsaicin increased heart rate whereas capsaicin also evoked an atropine-resistant inhibition of contractile force. The stimulatory effect of capsaicin on heart rate was absent after systemic capsaicin pretreatment, while the inhibition of ventricular contractile tension remained unchanged. 5. Extended incubation with hCGRP α or β was associated with development of cross-tachyphylaxis between these two agents in the guinea-pig atrium. However, CGRP tachyphylaxis did not change the atrial response to noradrenaline, forskolin or NKA. The stimulatory effects of capsaicin on atrial contractility were absent after tachyphylaxis to hCGRP α or β. 6. There was no detectable supersensitivity to the stimulatory effects of rat (r) CGRP α on the spontaneously beating atrium after capsaicin pretreatment of adult or neonatal rats. In conclusion the present data provide further evidence that the capsaicin-induced stimulation of atrial contractility is due to local release of CGRP. CGRP tachyphylaxis seems to be a specific, receptor-mediated event and is not related to down-regulation of the adenylate cyclase system. The inhibition of the contractile force in whole heart preparations by capsaicin is most likely due to a non-cholinergic effect independent of tachykinin release.