The relaxant effects of electrical field stimulation (EFS) and exogenously applied acetylcholine (ACh) or acidified NaNO2 (a-NaNO2) were investigated in the isolated mouse corpus cavernosum precontracted with phenylephrine hydrochloride (PE). Tetrodotoxin (TTX) blocked the relaxant effects of EFS completely, whereas it had no effect on the responses to ACh or a-NaNO2. Guanethidine and indomethacin failed to affect the electrically or ACh-induced relaxations. Atropine completely blocked the effect of ACh; however, it caused a slight reduction in the relaxation evoked by EFS. NG-Nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG) reduced the effects of EFS and ACh significantly, but it was ineffective on the relaxations induced by a-NaNO2. The inhibitory action of L-NOARG was partly restored by L-arginine, but not by D-arginine. Methylene blue (MB) and hydroxocobalamin (HC) exhibited significant inhibition on the relaxations evoked by EFS, ACh and a-NaNO2. Hydroquinone (HQ) reduced relaxation due to a-NaNO2, but did not affect that of EFS and ACh. Our findings suggest that EFS-induced relaxations of mouse cavernosal tissue are mediated by a transmitter which probably resembles an organic nitrate.
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