Effects of selective and nonselective alpha-1-adrenoceptor antagonists on intraurethral and arterial pressures in intact conscious dogs

In this study, we used a novel conscious dog model to evaluate the uroselectivity of selected alpha(1)-antagonists either approved for human use or in clinical development for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and compared those results to their in vitro binding and functional affinities at alpha(1A), alpha(1B) and alpha(1D) receptor subtypes. Conscious dogs were instrumented acutely with a balloon catheter for the measurement of changes in prostatic intraurethral pressure (IUP) and chronically with implantable telemetry devices for the measurement of arterial pressure. The presser effects of the alpha(1)-agonist phenylephrine (PE) on IUP and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were compared before and at various time points after oral doses of either terazosin, doxazosin, tamsulosin or Rec 15/2739 (SE 216469). At submaximal doses, terazosin and doxazosin blocked PE-induced increases in MAP to a greater extent than increases in IUP. Tamsulosin blocked both parameters equally at the lowest and highest doses; however, at the intermediate dose, IUP was blocked more than MAP. Rec 15/2739 at each dose always blocked IUP to a greater extent than MAP. While the in vivo uroselectivity of these agents was predicted by radioligand binding and in vitro functional selectivity for the alpha(1A) subtype over alpha(1B) and alpha(1D) subtypes, results from conscious dog experiments indicate that estimates of in vivo uroselectivity also depend upon dose and the time after administration. Our conscious canine model provides the basis for frequent and repeated evaluation of uroselectivity parameters over many hours, thus providing a pharmacological profile of compound effects perhaps more relevant to clinical practice.