Activation of α₁-adrenoceptors increases [³H]inositol metabolism in rat vas deferens and caudal artery

Rings of rat vas deferens and caudal artery were incubated with [³H]inositol in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer containing 10 mM lithium chloride, and the production of water-soluble [³H]inositol phosphates was monitored. Norepinephrine increased [³H]inositol phosphate accumulation 7-fold in rings from vas deferens and 3-fold in rings from caudal artery. Epinephrine, phenylephrine and methoxamine were as effective as norepinephrine, suggesting that these drugs are full agonists in causing this response. Prazosin, phentolamine and yohimbine completelu blocked the stimulation by norepinephrine in both tissues with potencies typical of blockade of α₁-adrenoceptors. Despite a substantial receptor reserve for α₁-adrenoceptor mediated contractile responses, clonidine, p-amino-clonidine, phenyl-propanolamine and ephedrine can only cause a partial contractile response in rat vas deferens. However, all of these partial agonists were either as effective or more effective in increasing [³H]inositol phosphate accumulation in rat vas deferens as they were in activating a contractile response. These data suggest that α₁-adrenoceptors increase phosphatidylinositol turnover in rat vas deferens and caudal artery, and that there may be a receptor reserve for α₁-adrenoceptor mediated increases in [³H]inositol phosphate accumulation in these smooth muscles.