This preclinical study demonstrates that sympathetic nerve stimulation releases endogenous ATP presynaptically, supporting its role as a cotransmitter with noradrenaline.
Findings limited to animal vas deferens; extends cotransmitter hypothesis but should not yet inform clinical practice.
1 Vas deferens from guinea-pig was stimulated with a suction electrode and both contractions and release of endogenous ATP monitored 2 Release of ATP was tetrodotoxin-sensitive and increased when the number of stimuli was increased. 3 Release of ATP was not due to contraction of the muscle and persisted following block of contractions with prazosin and alpha, beta-methylene ATP. 4 These results indicate that stimulation of the sympathetic nerves in the vas deferens releases endogenous ATP presynaptically, supporting a cotransmitter function for ATP with noradrenaline.
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Lew et al. (1987) studied this question.
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