RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 In Vivo Measurement by [3H]Tamsulosin of α1 Adrenoceptors in Rat Tissues in Relation to the Pharmacokinetics JF Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO J Pharmacol Exp Ther FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 1575 OP 1583 VO 289 IS 3 A1 Shizuo Yamada A1 Takashi Ohkura A1 Yoshiharu Deguchi A1 Ryohei Kimura YR 1999 UL http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/289/3/1575.abstract AB The present study was undertaken to simultaneously measure α1 adrenoceptors in rat tissues by [3H]tamsulosin in vivo. In vivo specific [3H]tamsulosin binding was observed in the prostate, vas deferens, aorta, submaxillary gland, spleen, heart, lung, and kidney after i.v. injection of the ligand but not in the cerebral cortex and liver. Specific [3H]tamsulosin binding in the kidney, lung, heart, and spleen was greatest at 3 min after i.v. injection and declined rapidly with the disappearance of [3H]tamsulosin from the plasma. On the other hand, [3H]tamsulosin binding in the prostate and aorta peaked at 10 to 60 min after i.v. injection, and a considerable level of specific binding in both tissues persisted up to 240 min. The most sustained binding of [3H]tamsulosin occurred in the submaxillary gland. In vivo specific [3H]tamsulosin binding in rat tissues was effectively inhibited by the coinjection of low doses of unlabeled tamsulosin, prazosin, and terazosin with the radioligand but not by relatively high doses of yohimbine and propranolol. Based on estimated ID50 values, in vivo inhibitory effect of tamsulosin compared with prazosin was 5 to 14 times greater in rat tissues except the spleen, which showed 1.6 times less potent than prazosin. From ratios of ID50 (spleen) to ID50 (submaxillary gland) or ID50 (prostate), tamsulosin was 9 and 19 times, respectively, greater than prazosin in selectivity of α1adrenoceptors in the submaxillary gland and prostate versus the spleen, respectively, suggesting that tamsulosin binds to α1Asubtype with higher affinity than α1B subtype in vivo. The present study suggests that [3H]tamsulosin is a useful radioligand for in vivo measurement of α1adrenoceptors in rat tissues. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics