{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.030827067669172932, 'fraction_numerical': 0.018796992481203006, 'mean_word_length': 5.399038461538462, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Desensitization of alpha-1 adrenergic receptor-mediated vascular smooth muscle contraction.

Desensitization of alpha-1 receptor-mediated smooth muscle contraction was studied in rabbit aorta. Incubation of rabbit aorta ring segments with epinephrine (10(-6) M) for 7 hr resulted in a 10-fold loss in sensitivity of the tissue to alpha-1 adrenergic receptor-mediated contraction with no change in maximal force of contraction. This loss in sensitivity was specific for alpha-1 receptor-mediated contraction because responses to histamine and serotonin were unchanged in these aortas. Conversely, prolonged exposure of vessels to histamine (10(-5) M) led to desensitization of histamine-mediated contraction without altering responses to alpha-1 receptor stimulation. Using [125I] BE2254, a potent alpha-1 receptor antagonist, the loss in sensitivity to catecholamines was found not to be mediated by down-regulation of alpha-1 receptors nor by a loss in their affinity for epinephrine. However, desensitization was associated with a blunting of alpha-1 receptor stimulation of phosphatidylinositol turnover. These results suggest that desensitization of alpha-1 receptor-mediated contraction in rabbit aorta does not appear to be mediated by changes in receptor number or affinity but may involve alterations in receptor coupling.