Ko. Mckay et al., ENDOTHELIN-3 INCREASES TRANSMISSION IN THE RABBIT PULMONARY PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS-SYSTEM, Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology, 22, 1993, pp. 190000181-190000184
The effect of endothelin-3 (ET-3) on the response to parasympathetic n
erve stimulation of rabbit isolated bronchus was examined. The site of
action of ET-3 in the pulmonary parasympathetic nervous system was al
so investigated. ET-3 induced a concentration-dependent increase in th
e response to electrical field stimulation. The response was atropine
sensitive and therefore cholinergically mediated. At a concentration o
f 10 nM, ET-3 increased the response to field stimulation to 205 +/- 4
2% of the initial response. The effect was concentration-related, as 1
00 nM further increased this response to 315 +/- 69%. The responsivene
ss of the tissue to exogenous acetylcholine was not affected by ET-3.
Therefore ET-3 has a neuromodulatory role on cholinergic parasympathet
ic transmission in rabbit airways exerted at a prejunctional site.