Aging changes agonist induced contractile responses in permeabilized rat bladder.

Aging alters bladder functions where a decrease in filling, storage and emptying is observed. These changes cause urinary incontinence, especially in women. The aim of this study is to examine how aging affects the intracellular calcium movements due to agonist-induced contractions in permeabilized female rat bladder. Urinary bladder isolated from young and old female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Small detrusor strips were permeabilized with ß-escin. The contractile responses induced with agonists were compared between young and old groups. Carbachol-induced contractions were decreased in permeabilized detrusor from old rats compared to young group. Heparin and ryanodine decreased carbachol-induced contractions in young rats where only heparin inhibited these contractions in olds. Caffeine-induced contractions but not inositol triphosphate (IP3)-induced contractions were decreased in old group compared to youngs. The cumulative calcium response curves (pCa 8-4) were also decreased in old rats. Carbachol-induced calcium sensitization responses did not alter by age where GTP-ß-S and GF-109203X but not Y-27632 inhibited these responses. Carbachol-induced contractions decrease with aging in rat bladder detrusor. It can be postulated as IP3-induced calcium release (IICR) is primarily responsible for the contractions in older rats where the decrease in carbachol contractions in aging may be as a result of a decrease in calcium-induced calcium release (CICR), rather than carbachol-induced calcium sensitization.

Hydrogen sulphide inhibits carbachol-induced contractile responses in ß-escin permeabilized guinea-pig taenia caecum.

Hydrogen sulphide (H(2)S) is an endogenous mediator producing a potent relaxation response in vascular and non-vascular smooth muscles. While ATP-sensitive potassium channels are mainly involved in this relaxant effect in vascular smooth muscle, the mechanism in other smooth muscles has not been revealed yet. In the present study, we investigated how H(2)S relaxes non-vascular smooth muscle by using intact and ß-escin permeabilized guinea-pig taenia caecum. In intact tissues, concentration-dependent relaxation response to H(2)S donor NaHS in carbachol-precontracted preparations did not change in the presence of a K(ATP) channel blocker glibenclamide, adenylate cyclase inhibitor SQ-22536, guanylate cyclase inhibitor ODQ, protein kinase A inhibitor KT-5720, protein kinase C inhibitor H-7, tetrodotoxin, apamin/charybdotoxin, NOS inhibitor L-NAME and cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin. We then studied how H(2)S affected carbachol- or Ca(2+)-induced contractions in permeabilized tissues. When Ca(2+) was clamped to a constant value (pCa6), a further contraction could be elicited by carbachol that was decreased by NaHS. This decrease in contraction was reversed by catalase but not by superoxide dismutase or N-acetyl cysteine. The sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase pump inhibitor, cyclopiazonic acid, also decreased the carbachol-induced contraction that was further inhibited by NaHS. Mitochondrial proton pump inhibitor carbonyl cyanide p-trifluromethoxyphenylhydrazone also decreased the carbachol-induced contraction but this was not additionally changed by NaHS. The carbachol-induced Ca(2+) sensitization, calcium concentration-response curves, IP(3)- and caffeine-induced contractions were not affected by NaHS. In conclusion, we propose that hydrogen peroxide and mitochondria may have a role in H(2)S-induced relaxation response in taenia caecum.

A comparison of the contractile properties of smooth muscle from pig urethra and internal anal sphincter.

AIMS: Smooth muscles from the urethra and internal anal sphincter (IAS) play an essential role in the maintenance of urinary and fecal continence. Any damage in these muscles may cause serious problems. The aim of this study was to directly compare the contractile properties of pig urethra and IAS taken from the same animal. METHODS: Smooth muscle strips of urethra and IAS dissected from the same pig were transferred to organ baths superfused with Krebs' solution, loaded with 1 g tension and equilibrated for 1 hr. Carbachol and phenylephrine response curves and EFS responses were elicited in the absence and presence of inhibitors. RESULTS: Both tissues developed tone during the 1 hr equilibration period. Carbachol (3 × 10(-6)-10(-3) M) contracted urethra whilst relaxing IAS. Guanethidine (10(-6) M) inhibited the carbachol responses in both tissues. L-NOARG (10(-4) M) decreased carbachol responses in IAS, but not in urethra. Phenylephrine (3 × 10(-6)-10(-2) M) contracted both tissues. EFS (1-40 Hz) induced a contractile response in urethra which was decreased with guanethidine (10(-6) M) and further blocked by atropine (10(-6) M). In the presence of both, a relaxation response was observed that is sensitive to NOS inhibitors especially at low frequencies. EFS induced a relaxation followed by a contraction in IAS strips. This contraction was blocked by guanethidine but not by atropine, and the remaining relaxation at 20 Hz was decreased with L-NOARG and increased with L-arginine. CONCLUSIONS: There are differences between urethra and IAS in terms of muscarinic activation and neural innervation, relevant for pharmacotherapy.

The effects of reactive oxygen species on calcium- and carbachol-induced contractile responses in beta-escin permeabilized rat bladder.

The effect of reactive oxygen species on contractions in beta-escin permeabilized rat detrusor was investigated. Cumulative calcium contractions were inhibited by hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and hydroxyl (*OH) but not by superoxide (O(2) *). The sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase inhibitor cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) and the mitochondrial blocker carbonyl cyanide p-trifluromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) decreased the calcium contractions, however in their presence, H(2)O(2) and *OH did not have further effect. Carbachol contractions were inhibited by either H(2)O(2)/*OH/O(2) * or CPA/FCCP. In the presence of CPA, carbachol contractions were not affected by H(2)O(2) and *OH but further decreased by O(2) *. On the other hand, only H(2)O(2) and *OH elicited additional inhibition in carbachol responses in the presence of FCCP. Inositol triphosphate contraction was inhibited by *OH whereas none of the radicals affect carbachol induced calcium sensitization. These results show that H(2)O(2) and *OH affects sarcoplasmic reticulum where O(2) * acts on mitochondria to change contractions in rat detrusor smooth muscle.

Sulindac loaded alginate beads for a mucoprotective and controlled drug release.

Ionotropic gelation was used to entrap sulindac into calcium alginate beads as a potential drug carrier for the oral delivery of this anti-inflammatory drug. Beads were investigated in vitro for a possible sustained drug release and their use in vivo as a gastroprotective system for sulindac. Process parameters such as the polymer concentration, polymer/drug ratio, and different needle diameter were analysed for their influences on the bead properties. Size augmented with increasing needle diameter (0.9 mm needle: 1.28 to 1.44 mm; 0.45 mm needle: 1.04 to 1.07 mm) due to changes in droplet size as well as droplet viscosity. Yields varied between 87% and 98% while sulindac encapsulation efficiencies of about 88% and 94% were slightly increasing with higher alginate concentrations. Drug release profiles exhibited a complete release for all formulations within 4 hours with a faster release for smaller beads. Sulindac loaded alginate beads led to a significant reduction of macroscopic histological damage in the stomach and duodenum in mice. Similarly, microscopic analyses of the mucosal damage demonstrated a significant mucoprotective effect of all bead formulation compared to the free drug. The present alginate formulations exhibit promising properties of a controlled release form for sulindac; meanwhile they provide a distinct tissue protection in the stomach and duodenum.

Involvement of Rho kinase and protein kinase C in carbachol-induced calcium sensitization in beta-escin skinned rat and guinea-pig bladders.

1. The signal transduction pathways involved in carbachol (CCh)-induced calcium sensitization in beta-escin permeabilized rat and guinea-pig bladder smooth muscles were investigated and the results were compared with guinea-pig taenia caecum. 2. Calcium contractions elicited cumulatively (pCa 7.5-5) in the presence of calmodulin were significantly increased in all three tissues when CCh (50 microM) was added to the medium. 3. Under constant [Ca2+]i conditions (pCa 6), calmodulin (1 microM) and then GTP (100 microM) initiated significant contractions. CCh (50 microM) added to the bath caused a further contraction in all three tissues - calcium sensitization. This sensitization was significantly inhibited by atropine (50 microM). 4. The incubation of the tissues with the IP3-receptor blocker 2-APB (30 microM) reduced the subsequent development of calcium sensitization by CCh in rat bladder but did not affect it in guinea-pig bladder and taenia ceacum. 5. The Rho kinase (ROK) inhibitor Y-27632 (5 microM) added in the presence of CCh reversed the calcium sensitization in rat bladder, whereas a transient contraction followed by a relaxation to a level not significantly different from the CCh contraction was seen in both guinea-pig bladder and taenia caecum. Y-27632 (1 microM) continuously present significantly inhibited the CCh-induced Ca2+ sensitization in rat bladder but not in guinea-pig bladder or taenia caecum. 6. In the presence of cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) (1 microM) and calmodulin (1 microM), Y-27632 (5 microM) did not change the calcium response curve (3 x 10(-7)-10(-5) M) in rat bladder but increased the contractile responses significantly in both guinea-pig bladder and taenia caecum. 7. The protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GF 109203X (5 microM) added in the presence of CCh inhibited the calcium sensitization induced by this muscarinic agonist in all three tissues in different ratios. 8. In conclusion, muscarinic receptor activation induces calcium sensitization in rat and guinea-pig detrusor smooth muscles but there are differences in their pathways.