Effect of neocuproine, a selective Cu(I) chelator, on nitrergic relaxations in the mouse corpus cavernosum

• Published in: European journal of pharmacology Vol. 406; no. 2; pp. 293 - 300
• Main Authors: Göçmen, Cemil, Göktürk, H.Sinem, Ertuǧ, Peyman Uçar, Önder, Serpil, Dikmen, Atilla, Baysal, Firuz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 13.10.2000; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acetylcholine - pharmacology; Animals; Bathocuproine; Biological and medical sciences; Chelating Agents - pharmacology; Copper - physiology; Corpus cavernosum; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Electric Stimulation; Genital system. Reproduction; Glutathione - analogs & derivatives; Glutathione - pharmacology; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Neocuproine; Nitrergic relaxation; Nitric Oxide - physiology; Nitroprusside - pharmacology; Nitroso Compounds - pharmacology; Non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) nerve; Penis - drug effects; Penis - physiology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phenanthrolines - pharmacology; Phenylephrine - pharmacology; S-Nitrosoglutathione; Bathocuproine; Non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) nerve; Corpus cavernosum; S-Nitrosoglutathione; Nitrergic relaxation; Neocuproine; Vasodilator agent; Rodentia; Non adrenergic non cholinergic transmission; Smooth muscle; Male genital system; In vitro; Biological activity; Vasodilation; Muscular relaxation; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Nitric oxide; Chelating agent; Copper I
• DOI: 10.1016/S0014-2999(00)00657-9
• ISSN: 0014-2999

The effects of neocuproine and bathocuproine, Cu(I) and Cu(II) chelators, respectively, were studied on relaxations in response to electrical field stimulation, acetylcholine, S-nitrosoglutathione, acidified sodium nitrite and sodium nitroprusside in the mouse corpus cavernosum precontracted with phenylephrine. Neocuproine significantly inhibited relaxations induced by electrical field stimulation, acetylcholine and S-nitrosoglutathione, but not by acidified sodium nitrite and sodium nitroprusside. The pre-prepared neocuproine–Cu(I) complex was ineffective on the responses. The discrepancy between the shape of relaxations in response to electrical field stimulation or to acetylcholine and S-nitrosoglutathione was abolished by adding CuCl 2 into the bathing medium. The copper action was blocked by neocuproine but not by bathocuproine. However, the pre-prepared bathocuproine–Cu(II) complex did not accelerate the relaxations affected by CuCl 2. These findings suggest that a Cu(I)-dependent mechanism may play a role in the relaxation induced by the endogenous relaxant factor as well as by S-nitrosoglutathione in mouse cavernosal tissue.