Rho kinase inhibitors reduce neurally evoked contraction of the rat tail artery in vitro

Abstract

1 The effects of Rho kinase inhibitors (Y27632, HA-1077) on contractions to electrical stimulation and to application of phenylephrine, clonidine or α,β-methylene adenosine 5′-triphosphate (α,β-mATP) were investigated in rat tail artery in vitro. In addition, continuous amperometry and intracellular recording were used to monitor the effects of Y27632 on noradrenaline (NA) release and postjunctional electrical activity, respectively. 2 Y27632 (0.5 and 1 μM) and HA-1077 (5 μM) reduced neurally evoked contractions. In contrast, the protein kinase C inhibitor, Ro31-8220 (1 μM), had little effect on neurally evoked contraction. 3 In the absence and the presence of Y27632 (0.5 μM), the reduction ..