Comparative responses to α,β-methylene-ATP in cat pulmonary, mesenteric, and hindquarter vascular beds

Responses to the P2X-purinoceptor agonist alpha,beta-methylene-ATP (alpha,beta-MeATP) were investigated in the pulmonary, hindquarter, and mesenteric vascular beds in the cat. Under constant-flow conditions, injections of alpha,beta-MeATP caused dose-related increases in perfusion pressure in the pulmonary and hindquarter beds and a biphasic response in the mesenteric circulation. In the pulmonary vascular bed, the order of potency was alpha,beta-MeATP > U-46619 > angiotensin II, whereas, in the hindquarters, the order of potency was angiotensin II > U-46619 > alpha,beta-MeATP. The order of potency was similar in the hindquarter and mesenteric beds when the pressor component of the response to alpha,beta-MeATP was compared with responses to angiotensin II and U-46619. The P2X-receptor antagonist pyridoxal-phosphate-6-azophenyl-2', 4'-disulfonic acid attenuated the pressor response to alpha,beta-MeATP in the hindquarter circulation and the pressor component in the mesenteric vascular bed. Pressor responses to alpha,beta-MeATP were not altered by cyclooxygenase, alpha-adrenergic, or angiotensin AT(1) antagonists. These data show that alpha,beta-MeATP has potent pressor activity in the pulmonary circulation, where it was 100-fold more potent than angiotensin II. In contrast, alpha,beta-MeATP had modest pressor activity in the systemic bed, where it was 1,000-fold less potent than angiotensin II. These data suggest that responses to alpha,beta-MeATP are dependent on the vascular bed studied and may be dependent on the density of P2X receptors in the vascular bed.