Release of ATP in rat vas deferens: origin and role of calcium.

Release of endogenous ATP elicited by electrical (neural) stimulation and exogenous agonists was studied in the rat isolated vas deferens. The aims were to dissect neural and postjunctional contributions to the nerve activity-evoked overflow of ATP and to clarify the role of transmitter receptors and calcium in postjunctional ATP release. In tissues preincubated with [3H]-noradrenaline, electrical stimulation (100 pulses/10 Hz) elicited contraction and an overflow of tritium and ATP. Contractions as well as ATP overflow were reduced by prazosin 0.3 microM and even more so by prazosin 0.3 microM combined with suramin 300 microM. They were also reduced by nifedipine 10 microM and even more so by nifedipine 10 microM combined with ryanodine 20 microM (the additional effect of ryanodine on ATP overflow was not significant). In tissues not pretreated with [3H]-noradrenaline, exogenous noradrenaline 10 microM and alpha,beta-methylene ATP 10 microM elicited contraction and an overflow of ATP. Responses to noradrenaline were blocked by prazosin 0.3 microM but not suramin 300 microM and were greatly reduced by nifedipine 10 microM and in Ca(2+)-free medium. Responses to alpha,beta-methylene ATP were blocked by suramin 300 microM but not prazosin 0.3 microM, were reduced by nifedipine 10 microM (effect on ATP overflow not significant) and were reduced even more in Ca(2+)-free medium. Neuropeptide Y 0.3 microM caused only very small contraction and ATP overflow. The electrically as well as the agonist-evoked ATP overflow correlated well with the contraction responses except in experiments with suramin which retarded the removal, by vas deferens tissue, of ATP from the medium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)