Pharmacological studies on the inhibitory action of melatonin and putativemelatonin analogues on porcine vascular smooth muscle

The effect of high concentrations of melatonin, and related indole-based an d naphthalene-based derivatives, has been examined in the porcine coronary artery, pulmonary artery and the marginal artery of the colon. In addition, we have pharmacologically examined the role of cyclic GMP in the relaxator y action of these agents. Cumulative addition of melatonin (3-300 mu M) caused a slowly developing re laxation in all three vascular preparations pre-contracted with 9,11-dideox y-9a,11a-methano-epoxy prostaglandin F-2 alpha (U46619), a thromboxane mime tic agent. The estimated pIC(50) values were 4.10-3.70 (coronary artery), 3 .89 (pulmonary artery) and 3.96 (marginal artery). All melatonin analogues examined also produced concentration-dependent inhibition of U46619-induced contractions of the coronary and marginal arteries in a qualitatively simi lar manner to melatonin. The rank order of potency (based on the pIC(50) va lues) of these compounds in both vascular tissues was N-[2-(3-ethyl-7-metho xynaphthyl) ethyl]-acetamide (S21634) >2-iodomelatonin = N-[2-(7-methoxynap hth-1-yl)-ethyl]-acetamide (S20098) = N-[2-naphth-1-yl-ethyl]-cyclobutyl ca rboxamide (S20928) >melatonin >N-acetyl-5-HT. Finally, the pharmacological characteristics of melatonin and S21633 as phosphodiesterase inhibitors wer e compared to those of zaprinast, a known cyclic GMP-specific phosphodieste rase inhibitor. Zaprinast also caused concentration-dependent inhibition of U46619-induced tone. All three compounds, zaprinast (10 mu M), melatonin ( 300 mu M) and S21634 (30 mu M), significantly enhanced sodium nitroprusside -induced relaxations. The inhibitory action of zaprinast per se was greater in the presence of the endothelium and significantly attenuated by 3 mu M 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxaline-1-one (ODQ), a selective inhibitor o f guanylyl cyclase. In marked contrast, the vasorelaxant action of melatoni n and S21634 was not affected by the removal of the endothelium or the addi tion of ODQ. In summary, we have shown that porcine arterial smooth muscle relaxes in re sponse to high concentrations of melatonin and other related melatonin rece ptor ligands. However, it appears that the receptive site is pharmacologica lly different from the melatonin receptors currently known and does not inv olve inhibition of cyclic GMP-specific phosphodiesterase.