Bombesin-like immunoreactivity in skates and the in vitro effect of bombesin on coronary vessels from the longnose skate, Raja rhina.

Bombesin-like immunoreactivity is present in nerve fibers projecting to the cardiovascular system, including the coronary arteries, and to the gastrointestinal canal, and in endocrine cells of the gut of skates belonging to the family Rajidae. Synthetic bombesin contracted isolated coronary rings from the longnose skate, Raja rhina, in a cumulative fashion. The contractile response was 84% of that of 60 mM potassium chloride. The pD2-value for bombesin was 8.83 (S.E.M. = 0.33; n = 15). Phentolamine, atropine and two substance P-antagonists increased the sensitivity to bombesin, while atenolol, sotalol, nifedipine, tetrodotoxin and two bombesin antagonists were devoid of significant effects. We conclude from this study that a bombesin-like peptide is present in nerves innervating the cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal canal of skates of the family Rajidae, and that bombesin contracts coronary vessels in vitro via a direct mechanism and/or via mechanisms involving alpha-adrenergic and muscarinergic receptors.