Further studies on the potent positive chronotropic effect of (15S)-15-methyl-prostaglandin E1 on the guinea-pig isolated spontaneously beating right atrium

1. 15-Me-PGE1 (10(-14)-10(-11) M) elicited a concentration-dependent and long-lasting increase in heart rate without an effect on contractility of the isolated spontaneously beating guinea-pig right atria. 2. Noradrenaline, histamine and PGE1 produced a concentration-dependent increase in both heart rate and contractility with relatively higher concentrations. 3. beta-Adrenoceptor blocker propranolol and histamine H2-receptor blocker cimetidine inhibited the effects of noradrenaline and histamine respectively without altering the positive chronotropic effect of 15-Me-PGE1. 4. Prazosin and lidocaine partially inhibited the effect of 15-Me-PGE1, while reducing Na+ concentration in the medium to 50 mM almost completely inhibited the positive chronotropic effect of the analog. 5. Calcium Channel blocker, nicardipine, decreased the positive chronotropic effect of 15-Me-PGE1 in a concentration-dependent manner. 6. These results were taken as an evidence for the specific and unique effect of 15-Me-PGE1 in the guinea-pig sinoatrial node interacting with Na+ and Ca2+ fluxes probably through their specific exchangers.