Adenosine a2-receptor mediates ethanol-induced arteriolar dilation in the rat stomach. Nagata, Hiroshi, Eiichi Sekizuka, Tetsuo Morishita, Masayuki Tatemichi, Tsuyoshi Kurokawa, Akira Mizuki, and Hiromasa Ishii. Department of Internal Medicine, Saiseikai Central Hospital, Tokyo 108, Institute of Clinical Research, National Saitama Hospital, Saitama 351, Department of Internal Medicine, Shizuoka Red Cross Hospital, Shizuoka 420, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160, Japan
APStracts 3:0123G, 1996.
Topical application of ethanol to the gastrointestinal mucosa induced vasodilation. Using an in vivo microscopy technique, we studied the effect of topical ethanol on the submucosal microvessels that control mucosal blood flow in the rat stomach, and identified vasoactive substances and receptors that mediate the ethanol vasoaction. 1 to 20% topical ethanol dilated submucosal arterioles dose-dependently, but did not change venular diameters. An inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase, 1 mM 4-methylpyrazole, did not alter the ethanol vasoaction. Ethanol-induced arteriolar dilation was eliminated by adenosine deaminase, but other vasodilator inhibitors, such as atropine, pyrilamine, indomethacin, human CGRP-(8-37) and L-NAME did not prevent it. Ethanol-induced arteriolar dilation was inhibited by an adenosine A2-receptor antagonist, but not by an A1-receptor antagonist, while an A2-agonist, but not an A1-agonist, dose -dependently dilated arterioles. Exogenous adenosine, 10-5 to 10-3 M, dilated arterioles to a similar extent as ethanol. This response was inhibited by an A2-antagonist. We conclude that non-metabolized ethanol increases gastric mucosal blood flow via A2-receptors in submucosal arterioles.

Received 2 January 1996; accepted in final form 23 May 1996.
APS Manuscript Number G5-6.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Gastrointest. Liver
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 28 June 96