The cyclic nucleotides cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) are second messengers involved in the regulation of contractility in various smooth muscle organs including detrusor smooth muscle. They are synthesized by activation of adenylate and guanylate cyclases, respectively, and inactivated by phosphodiesterases (PDEs). In order to delineate the intracellular regulation of porcine detrusor contractility by cyclic nucleotides and phosphodiesterases, functional organ bath studies and determinations of intracellular cyclic nucleotide contents were performed after incubation of porcine detrusor strips with forskolin (adenylate cyclase activator), sodium nitroprusside (guanylate cyclase activator), and various phosphodiesterase-inhibitors. Significant relaxant responses were achieved only by forskolin, the nonspecific phosphodiesterase-inhibitor papaverine, and the phosphodiesterase 1-inhibitor vinpocetine (62.4 +/- 5.6%, 73 +/- 4.3%, and 53 +/- 7.9%, respectively). Sodium nitroprusside and the selective PDE-inhibitors milrinone, rolipram, zaprinast, and dipyridamole were significantly less efficacious (26.9 +/- 3.9%, 15.5 +/- 3.8%, 15.3 +/- 3.0%, 13 +/- 4.0%, and 13.2 +/- 2.1%, respectively). Forskolin, papaverine, and vinpocetine elevated intracellular cAMP concentrations (7.3-, 1.9-, and 1.7-fold increase at 100 microM, respectively), whereas the other substances failed to enhance cAMP levels. cGMP levels were only increased by sodium nitroprusside (7.8-fold). The adenylate cyclase-cAMP system seems to be the more important signal transduction system involved in the relaxation of carbachol induced smooth muscle tone of the porcine detrusor. The role of the guanylate cyclase-cGMP system is less clear. In addition, the calcium/calmodulin-stimulated PDE I seems to be of major functional importance in regulating cAMP hydrolysis in the porcine detrusor smooth muscle in vitro.