Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Journal of Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology
. 1986 Aug;88(4):821–826. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1986.tb16255.x

Mechanism of barium-induced contraction in the vascular smooth muscle of rabbit aorta.

H Karaki, N Satake, S Shibata
PMCID: PMC1917089  PMID: 2427148

Abstract

In a solution containing 1.5 mM Ca2+, cumulative application of 0.3-10.0 mM Ba2+ induced a concentration-dependent contraction of the rabbit aorta. This contraction was reduced by the Ca2+ channel inhibitors, verapamil (10(-6) M), nifedipine (10(-7) M) and lanthanum (2.0 mM), and was potentiated by the Ca2+ channel facilitator, Bay K8644 (10(-7) M). In a Ca2+-free solution containing EGTA (1.0 mM), cumulative application of Ba2+ still induced a concentration-dependent contraction, the maximum contractile tension of which was comparable to that in the presence of 1.5 mM Ca2+. The Ba2+-induced contraction which was not dependent on the external Ca2+ was also inhibited by verapamil, nifedipine and lanthanum and was potentiated by Bay K8644. A high concentration (65.4 mM) of K+ potentiated this Ba2+-induced contraction whereas noradrenaline (10(-6) M) did not have such an effect. In order to deplete the releasable Ca2+ store in the cell, the muscle strip was treated with noradrenaline (10(-6) M) and/or caffeine (20.0 mM) in a Ca2+-free solution. In such a Ca2+-depleted muscle, Ba2+ still induced a contraction of a similar magnitude to that without such treatment. Further, the second application of Ba2+ in a Ca2+-free solution induced a similar contraction to that induced by the first application of Ba2+. These results suggest that Ba2+ depolarizes the cell membrane and opens the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels resulting in a Ca2+ influx in the presence of Ca2+. In the absence of external Ca2+, Ba2+ may enter the cell through the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels and induce contraction without mobilizing the Ca2+ store which is sensitive to noradrenaline and caffeine.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bond M., Kitazawa T., Somlyo A. P., Somlyo A. V. Release and recycling of calcium by the sarcoplasmic reticulum in guinea-pig portal vein smooth muscle. J Physiol. 1984 Oct;355:677–695. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1984.sp015445. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bülbring E., Tomita T. Effect of calcium, barium and manganese on the action of adrenaline in the smooth muscle of the guinea-pig taenia coli. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1969 Mar 11;172(1027):121–136. doi: 10.1098/rspb.1969.0015. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. DANIEL E. E. ON ROLES OF CALCIUM STRONTIUM AND BARIUM IN CONTRACTION AND EXCITABILITY OF RAT UTERINE MUSCLE. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 1963 Dec 1;146:298–349. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Deth R. C., Lynch C. J. Mobilization of a common source of smooth muscle Ca2+ by norepinephrine and methylxanthines. Am J Physiol. 1981 May;240(5):C239–C247. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.1981.240.5.C239. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Deth R., van Breemen C. Agonist induced release of intracellular Ca2+ in the rabbit aorta. J Membr Biol. 1977 Jan 28;30(4):363–380. doi: 10.1007/BF01869677. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FILO R. S., BOHR D. F., RUEGG J. C. GLYCERINATED SKELETAL AND SMOOTH MUSCLE: CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM DEPENDENCE. Science. 1965 Mar 26;147(3665):1581–1583. doi: 10.1126/science.147.3665.1581. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hotta Y., Tsukui R. Effect on the guinea-pig taenia coli of the substitution of strontium or barium ions for calcium ions. Nature. 1968 Mar 2;217(5131):867–869. doi: 10.1038/217867b0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Karaki H., Ikeda M., Urakawa N. Effects of external calcium and some metabolic inhibitors on barium-induced tension changes in guinea pig taenia coli. Jpn J Pharmacol. 1967 Dec;17(4):603–612. doi: 10.1254/jjp.17.603. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Karaki H., Ikeda M., Urakawa N. Movements of calcium during tension development induced by barium and high-potassium in guinea pig taenia coli. Jpn J Pharmacol. 1969 Jun;19(2):291–299. doi: 10.1254/jjp.19.291. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Karaki H., Kubota H., Urakawa N. Mobilization of stored calcium for phasic contraction induced by norepinephrine in rabbit aorta. Eur J Pharmacol. 1979 Jun 15;56(3):237–245. doi: 10.1016/0014-2999(79)90176-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Karaki H., Nakagawa H., Urakawa N. Effects of calcium antagonists on release of [3H]noradrenaline in rabbit aorta. Eur J Pharmacol. 1984 Jun 1;101(3-4):177–183. doi: 10.1016/0014-2999(84)90154-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Karaki H., Suzuki T., Urakawa N. Tris does not inhibit isolated vascular or intestinal smooth muscle contraction. Am J Physiol. 1981 Sep;241(3):H337–H341. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.1981.241.3.H337. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Karaki H., Urakawa N. Possible role of endogenous catecholamines in the contractions induced in rabbit aorta by ouabain, sodium depletion and potassium depletion. Eur J Pharmacol. 1977 May 1;43(1):65–72. doi: 10.1016/0014-2999(77)90161-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Karaki H., Weiss G. B. Calcium channels in smooth muscle. Gastroenterology. 1984 Oct;87(4):960–970. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Leijten P. A., van Breemen C. The effects of caffeine on the noradrenaline-sensitive calcium store in rabbit aorta. J Physiol. 1984 Dec;357:327–339. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1984.sp015502. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. SUZUKI T., NISHIYAMA A., OKAMURA K. THE EFFECTS OF BARIUM ION ON THE RESTING AND ACTION POTENTIAL OF INTESTINAL SMOOTH MUSCLE CELL. Tohoku J Exp Med. 1964 Feb 25;82:87–92. doi: 10.1620/tjem.82.87. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Schramm M., Thomas G., Towart R., Franckowiak G. Novel dihydropyridines with positive inotropic action through activation of Ca2+ channels. Nature. 1983 Jun 9;303(5917):535–537. doi: 10.1038/303535a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Somlyo A. P., Somlyo A. V., Devine C. E., Peters P. D., Hall T. A. Electron microscopy and electron probe analysis of mitochondrial cation accumulation in smooth muscle. J Cell Biol. 1974 Jun;61(3):723–742. doi: 10.1083/jcb.61.3.723. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. YUKISADA N., EBASHI F. Role of calcium in drug action on smooth muscle. Jpn J Pharmacol. 1961 Sep;11:46–53. doi: 10.1254/jjp.11.46. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Yamamoto H., Hwang O., Van Breemen C. Bay K8644 differentiates between potential and receptor operated Ca2+ channels. Eur J Pharmacol. 1984 Jul 20;102(3-4):555–557. doi: 10.1016/0014-2999(84)90581-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Yoshino M., Yabu H. Single Ca channel currents in mammalian visceral smooth muscle cells. Pflugers Arch. 1985 Jul;404(3):285–286. doi: 10.1007/BF00581252. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of The British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES