The effect of the dihydropyridine nimodipine was studied on the resting and K+-evoked release of [3H]acetylcholine (ACh) and [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) from postmortem human cerebral arteries. Nimodipine, at a concentration of 30 μM, significantly reduced the K+-evoked release of [3H]ACh from anterior and middle cerebral arteries by 36 and 70%, respectively, and the K+-evoked release of [3H]5HT from basilar and middle cerebral arteries by 55 and 66%, respectively. The mode of action of nimodipine is interpreted in terms of a specific effect on the depolarisation-induced calcium current occurring in neuronal elements present in these preparations but absent from brain.
BellemannPFerryDLübbeckeFGlossmannH, (1982) [3H]-Nimodipine and [3H]-nitrendipine as tools to directly identify the sites of action of 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium antagonists in guinea pig tissues. Arzneim Forsch32:361–363
2.
BellemannPSchadeATowartR, (1983) Dihydropyridine receptor in rat brain labelled with 3H-nimodipine. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA80:2356–2360
3.
BevanJA, (1984) Autonomic pharmacologists' guide to the cerebral circulation. Trends Pharm Sci5:234–236
4.
BevanJABugaGMFlorenceVMGonsalvesASnowdenA, (1982) Distribution of choline acetyltransferase in cerebral and extracerebral cranial arteries of the cat. Its relationship to neurogenic atropine-sensitive dilation. Circ Res50:470–476
5.
PalayV Chan (1976) Serotonin axons in the supra- and subependymal plexuses and the leptomeninges: Their role in local alterations of cerebrospinal fluid and vasomotor activity. Brain Res102:103–133.
6.
PalayV Chan (1977) Innervation of cerebral blood vessels by norepinephrine, indoleamine. substance P and neurotensin fibres and the leptomeningeal indoleamine axons: Their roles in vasomotor activity and local alterations of brain blood composition. In: Neurogenic Control of the Brain Circulation (OwmanCEdvinssonL. eds). Oxford. Pergamon Press, pp. 39–59
7.
de BellerocheJ, (1982) Modulation of dopaminergic transmission by other transmitter systems through presynaptic receptors: Studies on the nucleus accumbens. In: Presynaptic Receptors (de BellerocheJ, ed). Chichester. Ellis Horwood, pp. 130–151
8.
de BellerocheJBradfordHF, (1973) The synaptome: An isolated, working compartment. Prog Neurobiol1:277–298
9.
de BellerocheJNealMJ, (1982) The contrasting effects of neuroleptics on transmitter release from the nucleus accumbens and corpus striatum. Neuropharmacology21:529–537
10.
Du BoulayGHVerityPM, (1973) The Cranial Arteries of Mammals. London, William Heineman
11.
EbsteinRPDalyJW, (1982) Release of norepinephrine and dopamine from brain vesicular preparations: Effects of calcium antagonists. Cell Mol Neurobiol2:205–212
12.
EcclesNHLeathardHL, (1985) 17-β-Oestradiol and progesterone on human vascular reactivity. In: Progress in Migraine Research, Vol 3 (RoseF Clifford, ed). Basel, Karger (in press)
13.
EdvinssonL, (1982) Sympathetic control of cerebral circulation. Trends Neurol Sci5:425–429
14.
EdvinssonLFalckBOwmanC, (1977) Possibilities for a cholinergic action on smooth musculature and on sympathetic axons in brain vessels mediated by muscarinic and nicotinic receptors. J Pharmacol Exp Ther200:117–126
15.
EdvinssonLHardeboJEOwmanC, (1978) A pharmacological analysis of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors in intracranial and extracranial vessels of cat and man. Circ Res42:143–151
16.
EdvinssonLEmsonPMcCullochJTatemotoKUddmanR, (1983) Neuropeptide Y: Cerebrovascular innervation and vasomotor effects in the cat. Neurosci Lett43:79–84
17.
EdvinssonLBirathEUddmannRLeeTJ-FDuVergerDMacKenzieETScattonB, (1984) Indoleaminergic mechanisms in brain vessels; localization, concentration, uptake and in vitro responses of 5-hydroxytryptamine. Acta Physiol Stand121:291–299
18.
FairhurstASThayerSAColkerJEBeattyDA, (1983) A calcium antagonist drug binding site in skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum: Evidence for a calcium channel. Life Sci32:1331–1339
19.
FlorenceVMBevanJA, (1979) Biochemical determinations of cholinergic innervation of cerebral arteries. Circ Res45:212–218
20.
GriffithSGBurnstockG, (1983) Immunohistochemical demonstration of serotonin in nerves supplying human cerebral and mesenteric blood vessels. Lancet1:561–562
21.
GriffithSGLincolnJBurnstockG, (1982) Serotonin as a neurotransmitter in cerebral arteries. Brain Res247:388–392
22.
HögestattEDAnderssonEEEdvinssonL, (1982) Effects of nifedipine on potassium-induced contraction and noradrenaline release in cerebral and extracranial arteries from rabbit. Acta Physiol Scand114:283–296
23.
KajiwaraMCasteelsR, (1983) Effects of calcium antagonists on neuromuscular transmission in the rabbit ear artery. Pflugers Arch396:1–7
24.
KontosHA, (1981) Regulation of the cerebral circulation. Anna Rev Physiol43:397–407
25.
LarssonLJEdvinssonLFahrenkrugJHåkanssonROwanCde MuckadellO SchaffalitskySundlerF. (1976) Immunohistochemical localization of a vasodilatory peptide (VIP) in cerebrovascular tissue. Brain Res113:400–404
26.
LeeTJ-FHumeWRSuCBevanJA, (1978) Neurogenic vasodilation of cat cerebral arteries. Circ Res42:535–542
27.
MillerRJFreedmanSB, (1984) Are dihydropyridine binding sites voltage sensitive calcium channels?Life Sci34:1205–1221
28.
NapoleonePSancesarioGAmentaF, (1982) 5-Hydroxytryptophan uptake in indoleaminergic nerve fibres with rat cerebrovascular tree. Neurosci Lett28:57–60
29.
OwmanCEdvinssonL, (1978) Histochemical and pharmacological approach to the investigation of neurotransmitters, with particular regard to the cerebrovascular bed. In: Ciba Foundation Symposium 56: Cerebral Vascular Smooth Muscle and Its Control. New York, Elsevier, pp. 275–304
30.
PeroutkaSJAllenGS, (1983) Calcium channel binding sites labelled by 3H-nimodipine in human brain. J Neurosurg59:933–937
31.
TakahashiMOguraA, (1983) Dihydropyridines as potent calcium channel blockers in neuronal channels. FEBS Lett152:191–195
32.
TowartR, (1981) The selective inhibition of serotonin-induced contractions of rabbit cerebral vascular smooth muscle by calcium-antagonistic dihydropyridines. Circ Res48:650–657
33.
YamamotoKMatsuyamaTShiosakaSInagakiSSenbaEShimizuYIshimotoIHayakawaTMatsumotoMTohyamaM, (1983) Overall distribution of substance P containing nerves in the wall of the cerebral arteries of the guinea pig and its origins. J Comp Neurol215:421–426
