E. Bungardt, E. Vockert, R. Feifel, U. Moser, Reinhold Tacke, E. Mutschler, G. Lambrecht, A. Suprenant

• Muscarinic receptors of rcsistance vessels (submucosal artcrioles, outside diametcr 50-75 J,Lm) from the guinea-pig small intestinc were invcstigatcd in vitro using a computcr-assisted vidcomicroscopy system (Diamtrak <~t ). The muscarinic receptor which mediates vasodilation of prccontractcd [U-46619 (300 nM) or (- )-noradrcnaline (1 0 J.L M)] artcriolcs was characterized with scveral muscarinic agonists and subtypc-sclectivc antagonists. Thc following agonists all produccd cquivalent maximum vasodilation (given in rank ordcr of potency):Muscarinic receptors of rcsistance vessels (submucosal artcrioles, outside diametcr 50-75 J,Lm) from the guinea-pig small intestinc were invcstigatcd in vitro using a computcr-assisted vidcomicroscopy system (Diamtrak <~t ). The muscarinic receptor which mediates vasodilation of prccontractcd [U-46619 (300 nM) or (- )-noradrcnaline (1 0 J.L M)] artcriolcs was characterized with scveral muscarinic agonists and subtypc-sclectivc antagonists. Thc following agonists all produccd cquivalent maximum vasodilation (given in rank ordcr of potency): acctylcholinc = arccaidinc propargyl cstcr (APE) > oxotremorine = ( ± )-muscarinc = ( ± )-mcthacholinc > carbachol > 4-[[N-{4-chlorophenyl)carbamoyl]oxy]-2-hutynyltrimcthylammonium iodide (4-CI-McN-A- 343). 4-([N-(3-ChlorophcnyD-carbamoyl)oxy]-2-butynyltrimcthylammonium chloride (McN-A-343) and N-ethyl-guvacinc propargyl ester (NEN-APE) produccd minimal or no artcriolar vasodilation. Thc muscarinic antagonists pircnzcpinc, ( ± )-5,11-dihydro-11- [[[2-[2-((dipropylamino)methyl}-1-pipcridinyl]ethyl]amino ]-carbonyi]-6H-pyrido(2,3-h)( 1 ,4)-benzodiazcpin-6-onc (AF-DX 384 ), 11- [[ 4-[4-(dicthylamino)butyl]-1-piperidinyl]acetyl]-5, ll-dihydro-6H-pyrido(2.3-h)( 1,4 )-bcnzodiazepin-6-onc (AQ-RA 741 ), p-fluorohexahydro- sila-difcnidol (p-F-HHSiD), 4-diphcnylacetoxy-N-methylpipcridine mcthiodidc (4-DAMP) and (R)- and (S)hexahydro- difcnidol [(R)-HHD, (S)-HHD] shifted thc muscarinc, mcthacholinc or carbachol dosc-rcsponsc curve to the right in a compctitive manner. Schildanalysis of the data yicldcd pA\(_2\) valucs for pircnzcpinc (6.74/6.9), AF-DX 384 (6.72), AQ-RA 741 (6.58), p-F-HHSiD (7.53/7.57), 4-DAMP (9.06), (R)-HHD (7.88/8.32) and (S)-HHD (5.52/5.88). Thus, it can he concluded that submucosal arteriolcs posscss only the M\(_3\) functional muscarinic reccptor, the activation of which causcs hlood vcsscl dilation. The preparation dcscribcd is considcrcd to be a valuable now bioassay for pharmacological investigations of drug actions at muscarinic receptors in the peripheral vascular system.…