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AR Antagonist (ar + antagonist)
Selected AbstractsEvidence against ,2 -adrenoceptors mediating relaxation in rat thoracic aortae: ,2 -agonists relaxation depends on interaction with ,1 -adrenoceptorsFUNDAMENTAL & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Enrique F. Castillo Abstract In rat aorta, the presence of functional ,2 -adrenoceptors (,2 -AR) was investigated in ring preparations preconstricted with ,1 -adrenergic and non- ,1 -adrenergic agonists. Particularly, the hypothetical interference of ,2 -AR agonists with ,1 -AR-mediated vasoconstriction was evaluated. Relaxant and contractile responses to ,2 -AR agonists were obtained. In endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded aortic rings preconstricted with phenylephrine (1 × 10,6 m), the imidazoline derivatives, clonidine and UK14304, induced relaxations with similar order of potencies (,log EC50) and maxima relaxant effects respectively. Pretreatment with the NO synthase inhibitor, NG -nitro- l -arginine methyl ester (l -NAME) had no effect on the relaxant responses to clonidine and UK14304. In phenylephrine-constricted rings with endothelium, relaxations to clonidine and UK 14304 were not antagonized by the selective ,2 -AR antagonist, rauwolscine (,1 × 10,6 m). Clonidine and UK 14304 induced only contractions on endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded aortic rings contracted with prostaglandin F2, (3 × 10,7 m). Moreover, clonidine and UK 14304-induced relaxation of endothelium-denuded arteries precontracted with methoxamine but not with serotonin. Finally, the concentration,contraction curves to clonidine and UK 14304 in endothelium-denuded aortic rings were significantly shifted to the right by the ,1D -AR selective antagonist, BMY 7378, and rauwolscine. The pA2 and pKB values for BMY 7378 and rauwolscine, respectively, against endothelium-independent actions of clonidine and UK 14304 were characteristic of an effect on the ,1D -AR. The other selective ,2 -AR agonist tested BHT 933 (an azepine derivative), lacks considerable relaxant and contractile effects in rat aorta. The results provide no evidence for the presence of functional ,2 -AR in rat aorta. Respectively, the relaxant and contractile effects of the imidazoline derivatives, clonidine and UK 14304, may be due to an adjustable (in relation to the agonist-dependent active state of the ,1 -AR), inhibitory and excitatory, interaction with ,1 -ARs. [source] Cumulative effects of in utero administration of mixtures of reproductive toxicants that disrupt common target tissues via diverse mechanisms of toxicityINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 2 2010C. V. Rider Summary Although risk assessments are typically conducted on a chemical-by-chemical basis, the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act required the US Environmental Protection Agency to consider cumulative risk of chemicals that act via a common mechanism of toxicity. To this end, we are conducting studies with mixtures of chemicals to elucidate mechanisms of joint action at the systemic level with the goal of providing a framework for assessing the cumulative effects of reproductive toxicants. Previous mixture studies conducted with antiandrogenic chemicals are reviewed briefly and two new studies are described. In all binary mixture studies, rats were dosed during pregnancy with chemicals, singly or in pairs, at dosage levels equivalent to approximately one-half of the ED50 for hypospadias or epididymal agenesis. The binary mixtures included androgen receptor (AR) antagonists (vinclozolin plus procymidone), phthalate esters [di(n-butyl) phthalate (DBP) plus benzyl n-butyl phthalate (BBP) and diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) plus DBP], a phthalate ester plus an AR antagonist (DBP plus procymidone), a mixed mechanism androgen signalling disruptor (linuron) plus BBP, and two chemicals which disrupt epididymal differentiation through entirely different toxicity pathways: DBP (AR pathway) plus 2,3,7,8 TCDD (AhR pathway). We also conducted multi-component mixture studies combining several ,antiandrogens'. In the first study, seven chemicals (four pesticides and three phthalates) that elicit antiandrogenic effects at two different sites in the androgen signalling pathway (i.e. AR antagonist or inhibition of androgen synthesis) were combined. In the second study, three additional phthalates were added to make a 10 chemical mixture. In both the binary mixture studies and the multi-component mixture studies, chemicals that targeted male reproductive tract development displayed cumulative effects that exceeded predictions based on a response-addition model and most often were in accordance with predictions based on dose-addition models. In summary, our results indicate that compounds that act by disparate mechanisms of toxicity to disrupt the dynamic interactions among the interconnected signalling pathways in differentiating tissues produce cumulative dose-additive effects, regardless of the mechanism or mode of action of the individual mixture component. [source] Laminin acts via focal adhesion kinase/phosphatidylinositol-3, kinase/protein kinase B to down-regulate ,1 -adrenergic receptor signalling in cat atrial myocytesTHE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Y. G. Wang We previously reported that short-term (2 h) plating of cat atrial myocytes on the extracellular matrix protein, laminin (LMN) decreases adenylate cyclase activity and ,1 -adrenergic receptor (,1 -AR) stimulation of L-type Ca2+ current (ICa,L). The present study sought to determine whether LMN-mediated down-regulation of ,1 signalling is due to down-regulation of adenylate cyclase and to gain insight into the signalling mechanisms responsible. ,1 -AR stimulation was achieved by 0.01 ,m isoproterenol (isoprenaline) plus 0.1 ,m ICI 118551, a selective ,2 -AR antagonist. Atrial myocytes were plated for at least 2 h on uncoated cover-slips (,LMN) or cover-slips coated with LMN (+LMN). As previously reported, ,1 -AR stimulation of ICa,L was significantly smaller in +LMN compared to ,LMN atrial myocytes. In ,LMN myocytes, 10 ,m LY294002 (LY), a specific inhibitor of PI-(3)K, had no effect on ,1 -AR stimulation of ICa,L. In +LMN myocytes, however, LY significantly increased ,1 -AR stimulation of ICa,L. Western blots revealed that compared with ,LMN myocytes, +LMN myocytes showed a significant increase in Akt phosphorylation at Ser-473, which was prevented by LY. In another approach, +LMN myocytes were infected (multiplicity of infection (MOI), 100; 24 h) with replication-defective adenoviruses (Adv) expressing dominant-negative inhibitors of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) (Adv-FRNK or Adv-Y397F-FAK) or Akt (Adv-dnAkt). Compared with control cells infected with Adv-,-galactosidase, cells infected with Adv-FRNK, Adv-Y397F-FAK or Adv-dnAkt each exhibited a significantly greater ,1 -AR stimulation of ICa,L. In ,LMN myocytes LY had no effect on forskolin (FSK)-stimulated ICa,L. However, in +LMN myocytes LY significantly increased FSK-stimulated ICa,L. Similar results were obtained in +LMN atrial myocytes infected with Adv-FRNK. We conclude that LMN binding to ,1 -integrin receptors acts via FAK/PI-(3)K/Akt to inhibit adenylate cyclase activity and thereby down-regulates ,1 -AR-mediated stimulation of ICa,L. These findings provide new insight into the cellular mechanisms by which the extracellular matrix can modulate atrial ,-AR signalling. [source] Evidence of ,1 -adrenoceptor functional changes in omental arteries of patients with end-stage renal diseaseAUTONOMIC & AUTACOID PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 1 2008M. P. Cruz-Domínguez Summary 1,1 -Adrenoceptor (,1 -AR) subtypes were characterized in isolated omental arteries obtained after abdominal surgery in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or with Diabetes Mellitus type 2 plus ESRD (ESRD-DM). 2 Omental arteries from patients with ESRD and ESRD-DM elicited a significant increase in sensitivity to phenylephrine with a pD2 (,log EC50) of 6.7 and 6.6, respectively, vs. the control (5.8, P < 0.001). 3 Stimulation with phenylephrine was conducted in the presence or absence of selective ,1 -AR competitive antagonists: 5-methylurapidil (,1A -), AH11110A (1-[biphenyl-2-yloxy]-4-imino-4-piperidin-1-yl-butan-2-ol; ,1B -) and BMY7378 (8-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-8-azaspiro [4.5] decane-7,9-dione; ,1D -). The relative abundance of mRNA for all three ,1 -ARs was determined. 4 The maximal contractile responses to phenylephrine were: Emax 1.59 ± 0.17, 1.48 ± 0.08 and 1.55 ± 0.14 g for the ESRD, ESRD-DM and control groups, respectively. 5 Functionally, there was an increment in the affinity for the ,1A -AR antagonist (pA2: control 7.45, ESRD 8.36, ESRD-DM 8.0; P < 0.01), and a reduction in the ,1B -AR antagonist affinity (8.3 for controls, 7.6 for ESRD and 7.3 for ESRD-DM; P < 0.01) associated with renal disease. The affinities for the ,1D -AR antagonist were similar among the studied groups (8.5 for the controls, 8.7 for the ESRD and 8.1 for the ESRD-DM groups). 6 Renal disease increased mRNA expression of ,1B -ARs and reduced both ,1A - and ,1D -ARs subtypes in ESRD and ESRD-DM patients. 7 The results suggest that human omental arteries exposed to chronic uraemia show vascular hypersensitivity to phenylephrine, because of functional ,1 -AR changes. [source] Treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia in relation to the patient's risk profile for progressionBJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2005John Trachtenberg SUMMARY Lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH) is a slowly progressing disease, with some patients progressing more rapidly than others. In 80% of patients who progress this is caused by the worsening of symptoms. The physician can predict the risk of progression from the patient's clinical profile; increased symptom severity, a poor maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), and a high postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), are major risk factors for overall clinical progression of LUTS/BPH. A large baseline prostate volume and a high serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level are the predominant risk factors for developing acute urinary retention. After predicting risk, the most appropriate treatment should be established by balancing the benefits of treatment against the possible risks and bother resulting from adverse events. From the Medical Therapy Of Prostatic Symptoms study it can be concluded that monotherapy with an ,1 -adrenoceptor (AR) antagonist is an appropriate treatment for many patients with LUTS/BPH. However, for those at high risk of progression (those with a large prostate volume and high PSA level), it appears more appropriate to add a 5,-reductase inhibitor to the ,1 -AR antagonist to obtain maximum relief of symptoms, and ideally to halt the progression of the disease. This was confirmed by the RAND Appropriateness Method study, in which 12 urologists determined the most appropriate treatment for patients with LUTS/BPH based on their clinical profile, combination of clinical variables and/or risk factors. This study also indicates that patients at very high risk of progression, with severe obstruction (poor Qmax and high PVR), are potential candidates for immediate surgery. [source] Comparison of tamsulosin and naftopidil for efficacy and safety in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a randomized controlled trialBJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2005Momokazu Gotoh OBJECTIVES To compare the efficacy and safety of two ,1a/,1d adrenoceptor (AR) antagonists with different affinity for the ,1AR subtypes, tamsulosin and naftopidil, in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with BPH were randomized to receive either tamsulosin or naftopidil. The primary efficacy variables were the changes in the total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), maximum flow rate on free uroflowmetry, and residual urine volume. The secondary efficacy variables were average flow rate, changes in the IPSS storage score, IPSS voiding score, and quality-of-life (QoL) Index score, from baseline to endpoint (12 weeks). Data on all randomized patients were included in the safety analyses for adverse effects and changes in blood pressure. RESULTS Of the 185 patients enrolled data for 144 who were eligible for inclusion in the efficacy analysis were analysed (75 from the tamsulosin and 69 from the naftopidil group). There was no significant difference in any variable at baseline between the groups. There were satistically significant improvements for all primary and secondary variables in both groups, except for residual urine in the tamsulosin group. However, there was no significant intergroup difference in the improvement of any efficacy variable between the groups. The adverse effects were comparable, with no significant differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure after treatment in both groups. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that naftopidil is as effective and safe as tamsulosin. Both drugs were effective in improving storage and voiding symptoms. However, there was no difference in clinical efficacy or adverse effects between the ,1 AR antagonists with different affinity to ,1 subtypes, ,1a and ,1d. [source] |