Inhibition of purinergic transmission by prostaglandin E1 and E2 in the guinea‐pig vas deferens: an electrophysiological study

1 The effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and E2 (PGE2) on postjunctional electrical activity in the guinea‐pig vas deferens evoked by sympathetic nerve stimulation were investigated using both intracellular and focal extracellular recording techniques in vitro. 2 Bath application of PGE1 (1–100 nM) or PGE2 (0.1–100 nM) concentration‐dependently inhibited the amplitudes of all excitatory junction potentials (e.j.ps) evoked during short trains of stimuli (10 stimuli at 1 Hz). Increasing the duration of nerve stimulation (100 stimuli at 1 Hz) did not overcome this inhibitory effect. At these concentrations PGE1 and PGE2 were without any apparent inhibitory effect on the amplitudes of spontaneous e.j.ps. 3 Local application of PGE1 (10–100 nM) or PGE2 (10–30 nM) markedly reduced the frequency of occurrence of excitatory junction currents (e.j.cs) evoked by trains of 20–100 stimuli at 1 to 4 Hz without changing the amplitudes of spontaneous e.j.cs or the configuration of the nerve terminal impulse. 4 In the presence of PGE1 or PGE2, raising the frequency of stimulation (from 1 to 4 Hz), increased the likelihood of e.j.c. occurrence. 5 The postjunctional electrical activity recorded in the guinea‐pig vas deferens is believed to be due to ATP released from the sympathetic nerve endings. Thus the present study demonstrates that both PGE1 and PGE2 powerfully inhibit quantal ATP release in the guinea‐pig vas deferens.