180,291 1S-(1 alpha, 2 alpha, 3 alpha, 4 alpha)-2-[[3-[4- [(pentylamino)carbonyl]-2-oxazolyl]-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]hept- 2- yl]methyl]benzenepropanoic acid (BMS) is a potent and highly selective antagonist of thromboxane A2/prostaglandin endoperoxide (TP) receptors. In human platelet-rich plasma, BMS 180,291 inhibited platelet aggregation induced by arachidonate (800 microM) and U-46,619 (10 microM) with respective IC50 values of 7 +/- 1 (S.E.M.) and 21 +/- 2 nM. Inhibition of both the rate and full extent of 11,9-epoxymethano-prostaglandin H2 (U-46,619)-induced platelet aggregation were insurmountable at antagonist concentrations > 10 nM, but BMS 180,291 antagonized U-46,619-induced platelet shape change competitively with a KB of 11 +/- 2 nM. BMS 180,291 concentrations < or = 1 mM did not inhibit platelet aggregation induced by high concentrations of ADP (20 microM) or human alpha-thrombin (1 U/ml). BMS 180,291 inhibited binding of [3H]1S-[1 alpha,2 alpha(5Z),3 alpha,4 alpha]-7-[3-[[2- [(phenylamino)carbonyl]hydrazino]methyl]-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]-hept-2- yl]-5-heptenoic acid to human platelet membranes with a kd of 4.0 +/- 1.0 nM and slope factor of 1.06 +/- 0.13. U-46,619-induced concentrations of rat aortae were competitively antagonized by BMS 180,291 with a KB of 0.6 +/- 0.1 nM. Aortic responses to norepinephrine, serotonin and angiotensin II were not inhibited by BMS 180,291 at 1 microM. U-46,619-induced contractions of guinea pig tracheal rings were antagonized in an almost all-or-none manner, with maximal blockade at > or = 1 nM BMS 180,291, but little effect at lower concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)