Pharmacological characterization of Uracil nucleotide-sensitive P2Y receptors in mouse ileum

Since uracil nucleotide-preferring receptors, belonging to the P2Y receptor family and responding to either uridine triphosphate (UTP) or uridine diphosphate (UDP), have been proposed to be present at different cellular level in the gut, regulating various functions, we aimed to investigate whether their activation by uracil nucleotides may modulate the contractility of the intestinal muscle. Experiments were carried out in vitro, and the contractility of the longitudinal muscle from mouse ileum was recorded as changes of the isometric tension. UDP or UTP evoked a concentrationdependent, tetrodotoxin insensitive, contractile response. UDP effect was antagonized by suramin and by PPADS, P2 r…