Possible effects of (+/-)-dobutamine on adrenergic nerve endings were determined in experiments with ghosts of bovine chromaffin granules, with rat phaeochromocytoma (PC-12) cells and with the rat vas deferens. Dobutamine inhibited the vesicular uptake of a mixture of 70% adrenaline + 30% 3H-noradrenaline into ghosts, with an IC50 of 1.7 mumol/l. Dobutamine inhibited uptake1 of 3H-noradrenaline in PC-12 cells (with an IC50 of 0.38 mumol/l) without being a substrate. However, dobutamine easily entered PC-12 cells by diffusion. After inhibition of MAO, COMT and vesicular uptake dobutamine (15 and 45 mumol/l) released tritium from rat vasa deferentia preloaded with 3H-noradrenaline. Equi-inhibitory concentrations of dobutamine and desipramine (against uptake1) were equi-releasing. On the other hand, when MAO and vesicular uptake were intact, dobutamine (15 mumol/l) increased the efflux of tritium from preloaded vasa deferentia much more than did an equi-inhibitory concentration of desipramine. Most of the released tritium was then 3H-DOPEG. Dobutamine is a potent inhibitor of uptake1 as well as of vesicular uptake; moreover, it easily diffuses into adrenergic nerve endings. Hence, it blocks the neuronal and the vesicular re-uptake of noradrenaline; consequently, when MAO and vesicular uptake are intact, dobutamine increases the net leakage of noradrenaline from the storage vesicles, thereby leading to an efflux of deaminated metabolites. However, dobutamine is virtually unable to release noradrenaline into the extracellular space.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mechanisms of the release of 3H-noradrenaline by dimethylphenylpiperazinium (DMPP) in the rat vas deferens.

In the rat vas deferens, DMPP is a substrate of uptake1 (Km = 11.5 mumol/l). After block of vesicular uptake, monoamine oxidase and catechol-O-methyl transferase, after loading of the tissue with 3H-noradrenaline, and in calcium-free solution (i.e., when axoplasmic 3H-noradrenaline levels were high and when depolarization-induced exocytotic release was impossible), DMPP induced a pronounced outward transport of 3H-noradrenaline. On the other hand, when, in similar experiments, vesicular uptake and monoamine oxidase were intact (i.e., when axoplasmic 3H-noradrenaline levels were low), DMPP induced very little outward transport of 3H-noradrenaline. This discrepancy indicates that DMPP has little ability to mobilize vesicularly stored 3H-amine. When the medium contained calcium (catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibited, all other mechanisms intact), 100 (but not 10) mumol/l DMPP induced a hexamethonium-sensitive release of 3H-noradrenaline of short duration. Hence, in the presence of extracellular calcium, 100 mumol/l DMPP elicits exocytotic release via activation of hexamethonium-sensitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. DMPP inhibits the monoamine oxidase of rat heart homogenate with an IC50 of about 100 mumol/l.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Otto Krayer.

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Germany↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Extraneuronal uptake and metabolism of catecholamines as a site of loss.

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Animals↗