Adenosine‐modulation of cholinergic and non‐adrenergic non‐cholinergic neurotransmission in the rabbit iris sphincter

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Abstract
1 The characteristics of smooth muscle responses to transmural nerve stimulation in the rabbit iris sphincter were examined. 2 Transmural stimulation elicited a composite contractile response that could be divided in two phases. Atropine abolished the phase I contraction and inhibited the phase II contraction. The atropine-resistant component of the phase II contraction which was unaltered by sympathetic denervation, was mimicked by substance P and abolished by capsaicin. 3 Adenosine inhibited the phase I contraction. The adenosine analogue L-N6-phenylisopropyladenosine (L-PIA) was more potent than 5′-N-ethylcarboxamideadenosine (NECA) in mimicking this adenosine effect. 4 By contrast, adenosine enhanced the phase II contraction in non-pretreated preparations, as well as the atropine-resistant capsaicin-sensitive part of this contraction. Here, NECA was more potent than L-PIA. 5 Adenosine, NECA, L-PIA and D-PIA also enhanced the atropine-sensitive component of the phase II contraction, as well as the contractile response to exogenous acetylcholine or carbachol, but not to exogenous substance P. In this respect, L-PIA was the most powerful adenosine analogue with at least 10 fold higher potency than D-PIA. 6 The adenosine antagonist 8-p-sulphophenyltheophylline enhanced the phase I contraction and decreased the capsaicin-sensitive non-adrenergic non-cholinergic component of the phase II contraction. 7 We conclude that adenosine inhibited the nerve-induced cholinergic twitch (phase I) responses by action at prejunctional A1-receptors. Furthermore, adenosine enhanced the phase II contractile responses via postjunctional enhancement of the cholinergic transmission by action at A1-receptors, and via enhancement of the non-adrenergic non-cholinergic transmission by action at presumably prejunctional A2 receptors.