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In the resting and un-stimulated state, the bladder wall is not quiescent and discrete contractile events, microcontractions, can be recorded in almost all species. This activity contributes to the active element of compliance and to the basal resting tension. This intrinsic activity underpins the more complex phasic activity, non-voiding activity (NVA) that can be seen to increase progressively as the bladder is filled. The NVA represents the motor component of a motor sensory system that relays information to the CNS on bladder volume. Despite the importance of this intrinsic motor activity, little is known about the mechanisms involved in its generation and modulation. The present experiments were done on isolated hemi-bladders from normal rats and measurements made of the intrinsic motor activity. Detailed analysis of the resting state reveals the presence of discrete phasic contractile events, micro-contractions that range in amplitude from 0.1-0.6 mN. These events seem to occur randomly and the basal activity has the appearance of ‘noise’. An analysis of the frequency amplitude distribution of the contractile events, reveals that the total activity appears to be the sum of a number of discrete contractile units, each generating a phasic contraction about a specific mean value and with characteristic frequency. In a hemi-bladder, there are between 20-30 units generating the activity at rest. Using the timed integral of the activity (product of amplitude and frequency), it was noted that the activity was increased by the muscarinic agonist carbachol, but it was decreased by the β-adrenergic agonist isoprenaline. Stretching the preparations also increased the activity. Using these observations, a simple model of the structural and functional organisation of the isolated rat bladder is proposed: the wall appears to be arranged into a number of discrete motor units acting independently. However, the activity can be stimulated or inhibited by pharmacological agents and mechanically (stretch). The possible relevance of this activity, its relationship to NVA and in relation to the mode of action of drugs are discussed. [Corrected]

The present study was done to explore the cholinergic systems operating in the wall of the isolated rat bladder. In a first set of experiments, bladder strips in vitro were subjected to cumulative concentration-response curve (CRC) to non-selective muscarine agonist carbachol or the partially M2>M3 selective agonist arecaidine to establish optimal concentration to be used thereafter. In a second set of experiments, the effects of drugs (solifenacin, isoproterenol, and mirabegron) were tested on urinary bladder contraction induced by the non-selective muscarinergic agonist carbachol. For both agonists, the contractile responses are qualitatively similar: an initial transient rise in tension followed by complex bursts of high-frequency small 'micro'-contractions superposed on a tonic contraction, with immediate transient 'rebound' contraction after the agonist is washed from the preparation. This rebound contraction is greater with carbachol than arecaidine. Components of the responses to cholinergic stimulation, notably the micro-contractions, were found to be differently stimulated and inhibited by the M3>M2 selective antagonist solifenacin and by the β-adrenoceptor agonists isoprenaline and mirabegron. A physiological role for the muscarinic dependent phasic contractions and the micro-anatomical elements that might be involved are not known but may be related to non-voiding activity observed during filling cystometry in conscious animals related to afferent discharge and possibly sensation. Furthermore, suggestions for the potential impact of these findings and design of further studies in relation to bladder physiology, pharmacology, and pathology are discussed.

Spontaneous microcontractions and electrical field stimulation (EFS)-evoked contractions in isolated rat bladder strips from normal and from 6 weeks partial bladder outflow obstruction (pBOO) animals were studied to identify the potential site of action for the β3-adrenoceptor (AR) agonist mirabegron in detrusor overactivity in rats. For this, effects of the β-AR agonist isoprenaline and mirabegron were tested in presence or absence of selective antagonists for β-AR subtypes, namely CGP-20712A for β1-AR, ICI-118,551 for β2-AR, and L-748,337 for β3-AR. In detrusor strips from both normal and obstructed animals, EFS-induced contractions were weakly affected by isoprenaline and even less so by mirabegron. In contrast, microcontraction activity was more potently reduced by isoprenaline (pIC50 7.3; Emax ±85 %), whereas mirabegron showed a small effect. In pBOO strips, concentration response curves for isoprenaline and mirabegron at inhibition of EFS and spontaneous microcontractions were similar to those in normal strips. Isoprenaline-induced inhibition of microcontractions and EFS was antagonized by the β1-AR antagonist, but not by the β2- and β3-AR antagonists. In the context of β3-AR-mediated bladder functions for mirabegron in other experiments, the current data question a role for effects at spontaneous microcontractions, or neurogenic detrusor stimulation in the mode of action for mirabegron in vivo, since functional bladder effects for mirabegron are reported to occur at much lower concentrations.

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is well known to modulate urinary bladder functions, but it is also thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of lower urinary tract dysfunctions, since high levels of PGE2 have been found in overactive bladder (OAB) patients. β-Adrenoceptors are major players in detrusor muscle relaxation, and the selective β3-adrenoceptor (AR) agonist mirabegron was recently approved for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB). β-Adrenoceptor modulation of PGE2 excitatory effects on bladder detrusor muscle was investigated by i.v. mirabegron after intravesical PGE2 infusion in conscious rats. Non-voiding activity (NVA) was assessed under isovolumetric conditions. In addition, mirabegron and isoprenaline (0.01-10 μM) were studied on PGE2-increased micro-contractile activity during isometric tension recordings of intact isolated bladder muscle strips. Our investigations showed that PGE2 dramatically increased NVA in vivo and spontaneous micro-contractions in vitro. In vivo administration of mirabegron (0.1, 0.3 and 3 mg/kg) reduced PGE2-augmented NVA in dose-dependent manner, while the PGE2-increased micro-contractions in isolated bladder strips were poorly inhibited. Isoprenaline inhibited PGE2-augmented micro-contractions in a concentration-dependent manner and had a higher potency compared to mirabegron. The apparent pKB of 7.25 for metoprolol at the isoprenaline concentration-response curve for PGE2-augmented micro-contractions suggests a β1-AR-mediated.