Glibenclamide antagonises the responses to ATP, but not adenosine or adrenaline, in the gastric ligament of the starfish asterias rubens

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Abstract

1. The precontracted gastric ligament of the starfish Asterias rubens relaxed to ATP, adenosine and adrenaline.

2. The response to ATP was blocked by the sulphonylurea derivative glibenclamide, which is a potent inhibitor of mammalian ATP-modulated K+ channels.

3. Although ATP and adenosine had equal potencies, adenosine was not blocked by glibenclamide, which suggests that a separate receptor or mechanism of action is mediating the response to adenosine. Responses to adrenaline were also unaffected by glibenclamide.

4. These results imply that adenosine and ATP act on different invertebrate purine receptors, analogous to the P1- and P2-purinoceptors of vertebrates. It is suggested that glibenclamide may be useful in the subclassification of purinoceptors.

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