Urothelium derived inhibitory factor and cross-talk among receptors in the trigone of the bladder of the pig

Purpose: In the dome of the bladder of the pig muscarinic receptor stimulation has been shown to release a factor from the urothelium that exerts an inhibitory effect on the underlying smooth muscle. We examined whether the urothelium in the trigone of the bladder also releases this factor, identified which receptors stimulate its release and investigated possible cross-talk among these receptor systems in the trigone. Materials and Methods: Paired longitudinal strips of pig bladder were isolated, the urothelium was removed from 1 strip per pair and tissues were set up in gassed Krebs solution at 37C. Cumulative concentration-response curves to carbachol, phenylephrine or histamine were constructed. In some tissues a second phenylephrine curve was constructed in the presence of 1 AM. carbachol or 1 AM. histamine. In a further group of tissues the second phenylephrine curve was constructed in the presence of 1 AM. carbachol and 1 AM. atropine or 1 AM. histamine and 100 nM. mepyramine. Results: In the presence of an intact urothelium contractile responses to carbachol and histamine but not to phenylephrine were depressed. In the presence of 1 AM, carbachol or 1 AM, histamine the responses of intact urothelium strips to phenylephrine were significantly depressed. This effect was absent in the presence of atropine and mepyramine, respectively. Conclusions: Carbachol and histamine induce the release of a urothelium derived inhibitory factor in the bladder trigone. The factor appears to mediate cross-talk between these systems and the a-adrenoceptor system in this region of the bladder.