Abstract
[$^3$H]Ouabain binding parameters ( $K_{D}$ and $B_{max}$) to control rat ventricular strips and Langendorff preparations which were not previously exposed to ouabain were compared with those to both preparations that had been first exposed to a complete ouabain dose range of dose-response curve (10$^{-8}$ to 10$^{4}$M). In rat ventricular strips and Langendorff perfused heart preparations, cumulative dose-response curves of ouabain revealed biphasic positive inotropic effects, a "low-dose" effect and a "high-dose" effect with E $d_{50}$ values of 0.5 $\mu$M and 35 $\mu$M ouabain, respectively. The "low-dose" effect in ventricular strip disappeared or was diminished significantly when the ouabain dose-response curve was repeated after the washout of the effects of the first dose-response curve, whereas there were no significant differences in the maximal "high-dose"effect in both exposures to oubain. However, both of the control and ouabain-preexposed Langendorff perfused hearts revealed the same low-dose effects. The $K_{D}$ value for [$^3$H] ouabain binding and the ouabain binding site concentration ( $B_{max}$) estimated by [$^3$H]ouabain displacement assay in control preparations were 230 nM and 2 pmol/mg protein, respectively. [$^3$H]Ouabain binding parameters were not changed by repeated exposure to high concentrations of ouabain. These results suggest that digitalis receptor desensitization in the rat ventricular strip may due to the change of post-receptor events induced by ouabain binding to a high affinity site ($\alpha$$_2$isoform).).).).).