Dopamine stimulation of active Na and Cl absorption in rabbit ileum. Interaction with α₂-adrenergic and specific dopamine receptors.

The effects of dopamine on active intestinal ion transport have been evaluated. An epithelial sheet preparation of rabbit ileum was used in vitro with the Ussing chamber-voltage clamp technique. Dopamine, in the presence of 1 mM ascorbic acid, added to the serosal bathing solution caused a dose-dependent decrease in short-circuit current, with a half-maximal effect at 1.2 μM and maximal effet of -50 μA/cm² at 50 μM; dopamine decreased the potential difference, and increased the conductance and net Na and net Cl absorption. There was no effect on the residual ion flux. Dopamine did not alter the change in short-circuit current caused by mucosal glucose (10 mM) or serosal theophylline (10 mM). Mucosal dopamine had no effect. The effect of dopamine on short-circuit current was inhibited by the dopamine antagonists haloperidol and domperidone and the α₂-adrenergic antagonist yohimbine; there was no effect of the α₁-antagonist prazosin and the β-antagonist propranolol. In addition, the α-adrenergic agonist clonidine, but not the α₁-agonist methoxamine caused a dose-dependent decrease in short-circuit current. The ileal effects of dopamine did not occur via conversion into norepinephrine or release of norepinephrine from the peripheral nerves since 'peripheral sympathectomy' with 6-hydroxydopamine did not alter the dopamine-induced change in ileal short-circuit current. The dopamine effects were not associated with a change in basal ileal cyclic AMP content but were associated with a decrease in total ileal calcium content as estimated by ⁴⁵Ca⁺⁺ uptake. The decrease in calcium content could be attributed to a dopamine-induced decrease in ⁴⁵Ca⁺⁺ influx from the serosal surface. Because of the presence of dopamine in ileal mucosa and these effects on ileal electrolyte transport, it is possible that dopamine may be involved in the physiologic regulation of active intestinal electrolyte absorption.