Substance P(6-11) and natural tachykinins interact with septide-sensitive tachykinin receptors coupled to a phospholipase C in the rat urinary bladder.

The rat urinary bladder possesses NK1, NK2 (but not NK3) and 'septide-sensitive' tachykinin receptors coupled to a phospholipase C. The present study performed with SR48968 (10(-6) M) to avoid any interaction of the tested peptides with NK2 receptors, indicates that substance P(6-11) (with a high potency), neurokinin A, neurokinin B and to a lesser extent neuropeptide K (with a lower potency) stimulate [3H]-inositol monophosphate ([3H]-IP1) formation in this tissue by acting on the 'septide-sensitive' tachykinin receptors. Substance P(6-11) had little affinity for NK1 binding sites and stimulated [3H]-IP1 formation with an EC50 value and a maximal amplitude similar to those of septide. As previously observed with septide, this maximal response of substance P(6-11) (insensitive to 10(-6) M SR48968) which was about three-fold that of substance P, was blocked by the NK1 receptor antagonist RP67580 and prevented by [Pro9]substance P (NK1 receptor agonist). Similarly, substance P and several substance P C-terminal fragments prevented the substance P(6-11)-evoked response. In addition, neurokinin A, neuropeptide K and neurokinin B induced SR48968-resistant responses which exhibited a maximal amplitude similar to that of substance P (6-11) and were blocked by RP67580 and totally or partially (neuropeptide K) prevented by [Pro9]substance P.