Differential regulation of right and left ventricular beta-adrenergic receptors in newborn lambs with experimental cyanotic heart disease.

To determine whether chronic hypoxemia secondary to an intracardiac right-to-left shunt alters regulation of the myocardial beta-adrenergic receptor/adenylate cyclase system, we produced chronic hypoxemia in nine newborn lambs by creating right ventricular outflow obstruction and an atrial septal defect. Oxygen saturation was reduced to 65-74% for 2 wk. Eight lambs served as normoxemic controls. beta-receptor density (Bmax) and ligand affinity (KD) were determined with the radio-ligand [125I]iodocyanopindolol and adenylate cyclase activity determined during stimulation with isoproterenol, sodium fluoride (NaF), and forskolin. During chronic hypoxemia, Bmax decreased 45% (hypoxemic, 180.6 +/- 31.5 vs. control, 330.5 +/- 60.1 fmol/mg) in the left ventricle (exposed to hypoxemia alone) but was unchanged in the right ventricle (exposed to hypoxemia and pressure overload). KD was not different from control in either ventricle. Left ventricular isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity was decreased by 39% (30.0 +/- 4.3% increase vs. 44.1 +/- 9.5% increase) whereas right ventricular adenylate cyclase activity was unchanged. Stimulation of adenylate cyclase with NaF or forskolin was not different from control in either ventricle. Circulating epinephrine was increased fourfold whereas circulating and myocardial norepinephrine were unchanged. These data demonstrate a down-regulation of the left ventricular beta-adrenergic receptor/adenylate cyclase system during chronic hypoxemia secondary to an intracardiac right-to-left shunt.     

Loss of high affinity cardiac beta adrenergic receptors in dogs with heart failure.

We studied the alterations in myocardial beta-adrenergic receptor-adenylate cyclase activity and muscarinic receptor density in a canine model of left ventricular (LV) failure. LV failure was characterized by a doubling of LV weight/body weight ratio (3.3 +/- 0.1 to 6.9 +/- 0.4 g/kg) and an elevation of LV end-diastolic pressure, 32 +/- 4.5 mmHg, compared with 7.7 +/- 0.6 mmHg in normal dogs. Despite a 44% increase in receptor density as measured by antagonist binding studies with [3H]dihydroalprenolol, there was a twofold decrease in receptor affinity, i.e., an increase in the dissociation constant (Kd) (5.6 +/- 0.7 to 12 +/- 1.6 nM) in heart failure. Agonist displacement of [3H]dihydroalprenolol binding with isoproterenol in the presence and absence of 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate [Gpp(NH)p] demonstrated a striking loss of high affinity binding sites in heart failure (51 +/- 16 to 11 +/- 5%). Beta-Adrenergic receptor-mediated stimulation of adenylate cyclase and maximal stimulation with Gpp(NH)p or sodium fluoride was reduced in heart failure. There was a concomitant marked, P less than 0.01, reduction in muscarinic receptor density (242 +/- 19 vs. 111 +/- 20 fmol/mg). Thus, while muscarinic receptor density fell, beta-adrenergic receptor density actually increased in LV failure. However, a larger portion of the beta-adrenergic receptors are not functionally coupled to the GTP-stimulatory protein (Ns), as evidenced by a decrease in the fraction of receptors that bind agonist with high affinity.     

Chronic norepinephrine elicits desensitization by uncoupling the beta-receptor.

The goal of this study was to determine the mechanism of beta-adrenergic receptor desensitization after chronic elevation of circulating NE levels. Osmotic minipumps containing either NE or saline were implanted subcutaneously in dogs for 3-4 wk. Physiologic desensitization to isoproterenol was confirmed in conscious dogs, i.e., left ventricular dP/dt increased in response to isoproterenol (0.4 micrograms/kg per min) by 5,625 +/- 731 mmHg/s in control dogs with saline pumps, and significantly less, P less than 0.01, by 2,093 +/- 263 mmHg/s in dogs with NE pumps. Myocardial beta-adrenergic receptor density as determined with 125I-cyanopindolol binding was 49% higher (p less than 0.05) in the NE pump group. However, beta-adrenergic receptor agonist binding with isoproterenol demonstrated a significant shift into the low affinity state for the animals with NE pumps. Basal, GTP plus isoproterenol, 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate, sodium fluoride, and forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in the NE pump group were significantly depressed (P less than 0.05) by amounts ranging from 20 to 40%. The functional activity of the guanine nucleotide binding protein Gs was also reduced (P less than 0.05) in animals with NE pumps. Thus, the process of desensitization in response to chronic elevation of NE levels in intact, normal dogs does not involve a decrease in beta-adrenergic receptor density. Rather, it is characterized by reduced adenylate cyclase activation and uncoupling of the beta-adrenergic receptor in association with decreased activity of the GTP-coupling protein Gs.     

Cellular mechanisms of impaired adrenergic responsiveness in neonatal dogs.

The myocardial responsiveness of conscious, instrumental dogs to exogenously administered isoproterenol and norepinephrine was investigated in neonatal, 6-wk-old, and adult animals. Comparable base-line values for peak left ventricular derivative of pressure with respect to time were observed in all age categories. However, when compared with adult responses, the sympathomimetic amine-induced increases in neonatal left ventricular dP/dt were significantly blunted at each concentration of adrenergic agonist examined, whereas the 6-wk-old puppies displayed an intermediate inotropic response. To investigate the cellular mechanisms of this blunted neonatal response, we correlated physiologic and biochemical measurements of the myocardial responses to catecholamines in each age category. When compared with adult myocardial membrane preparations, neonatal cardiac membranes were characterized in vitro by an increased density of beta-adrenergic binding sites, comparable affinity for adrenergic agonists and antagonists, and an enhanced coupling of adenylate cyclase activation to receptor occupancy. Simultaneous changes in either the serum catecholamine concentration or the membrane content of other intrinsic proteins failed to account for the observed neonatal increase in beta-adrenergic receptor density. These findings are most consistent with a compensatory mechanism of the cardiac cell membrane, whereby an inherent depression in the adrenergic responsiveness of the immature myocardium appears to induce the increase in receptor density and activation of adenylate cyclase.     

Impaired cardiac muscarinic receptor function in dogs with heart failure.

Prior physiological studies have suggested that parasympathetic control is altered in heart failure. The goal of our studies was to investigate the influence of heart failure on the muscarinic receptor, and its coupling to adenylate cyclase. Ligand binding studies using [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate and enriched left ventricular (LV) sarcolemma, demonstrated that muscarinic receptor density in heart failure declined 36% from a control of 5.6 +/- 0.6 pmol/mg, with no change in antagonist affinity. However, agonist competition studies with both carbachol and oxotremorine showed that it was a loss of high affinity agonist binding sites in the sarcolemma from failing LV that accounted for this difference. The functional efficacy of the muscarinic receptor was also examined. When 1 microM methacholine was added to 0.1 mM GTP and 0.1 mM isoproterenol, adenylate cyclase stimulated activity was inhibited by 15% in normal LV but only 5% in LV sarcolemma from animals with heart failure even when the reduced adenylate cyclase in these heart failure animals was taken into account. Even at 100-fold greater concentrations of methacholine, significantly less inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity was observed in LV failure as compared with normal LV sarcolemma. Levels of the GTP-inhibitory protein known to couple the muscarinic receptor to adenylate cyclase, as measured with pertussis toxin labeling, were not depressed in LV failure. Thus, the inhibitory pathway regulating LV adenylate cyclase activity is defective in heart failure. The decrease in muscarinic receptor density, and in particular the specific loss of the high affinity agonist binding component of this receptor population, appears to be the major factor underlying this abnormality.     

Chronic caffeine ingestion sensitizes the A1 adenosine receptor-adenylate cyclase system in rat cerebral cortex.

Caffeine consumption causes significant physiologic effects due to its antagonism of adenosine receptors. The A1 adenosine receptor is coupled in an inhibitory manner to adenylate cyclase. To study the effects of chronic caffeine ingestion, rats were provided with 0.1% caffeine drinking solution for 28 d. The A1 adenosine receptor agonist radioligand [3H]phenylisopropyladenosine identifies two affinity states in control rat cerebral cortex membranes with a high affinity dissociation constant (KH) of 0.40 +/- 0.08 nM and low affinity dissociation constant (KL) of 13.7 +/- 3.9 nM, with 33% of the receptors in the high affinity state. In membranes from caffeine-treated animals, all of the A1 receptors are shifted to the high affinity state with a dissociation constant (KD) of 0.59 +/- 0.06 nM. Guanylyl-imidodiphosphate (10(-4) M) decreases binding by 43% in control membrane, with no change in KH or KL, while membrane binding in caffeine-treated animals decreases by 45% with a threefold shift in KD to 1.5 +/- 0.3 nM. Concomitant with the enhanced high affinity A1 receptor state and increased sensitivity to guanine nucleotides, membranes from treated animals show a 35% enhancement in (-)-N6-(R-phenylisopropyl)adenosine-mediated inhibition of adenylate cyclase compared with controls (P less than 0.03). Photoaffinity crosslinking the receptors with [125I]N6-2-(3-iodo-4-aminophenyl)ethyladenosine reveals that A1 receptors from both groups migrate as Mr 38,000 proteins. beta-adrenergic receptor binding with [125I]iodocyanopindolol shows a decrease in the number of beta-receptors from 233 +/- 7 fmol/mg protein in control membranes to 190 +/- 10 fmol/mg protein in treated membranes (P = 0.01). These data indicate that the adenosine receptor antagonist, caffeine, induces a compensatory sensitization of the A1 receptor-adenylate cyclase system and downregulation of beta-adrenergic receptors, and provides a molecular mechanism for the caffeine withdrawal syndrome.     

Effects of acute ischemia in the dog on myocardial blood flow, beta receptors, and adenylate cyclase activity with and without chronic beta blockade.

We ligated the left anterior descending coronary artery for 1 or 2 h in 31 purebred beagles. We did not detect any changes in beta-adrenergic receptor density or affinity when normal and ischemic zones were compared, either in the subendocardium or in the subepicardium. In the ischemic zones, there was a significant decline in all measures of adenylate cyclase activity, including activity mediated by the beta-adrenergic receptor. By contrast, after chronic beta-adrenergic blockade (1.5 mg/kg propranolol i.v. twice daily for 7 d), there was an increase in adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by (-)-isoproterenol relative to adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by guanyl-5'imidodiphosphate (GppNHp) in both normal and ischemic tissue, suggesting that one effect of chronic beta blockade may be to enhance coupling between the stimulatory guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (Gs) and the beta-adrenergic receptor, despite a reduction in the number or function of Gs units. Chronic beta blockade also led to up regulation of beta-adrenergic receptor density in subepicardial regions. After 20 min of reperfusion following 2 h of ischemia, adenylate cyclase activity tended to return to control levels, particularly in the subepicardium, where (-)-isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity was not different from normal myocardium. We conclude that chronic beta-adrenergic blockade may have beneficial effects during prolonged episodes of myocardial ischemia by preserving signal transduction mediated by the beta-adrenergic receptor.     

Characterization of beta-adrenergic receptor linked to adenylate cyclase in a human cancer cell line (COLO 16).

1. A human cancer cell line (COLO 16) derived originally from an epidermal squamous cell carcinoma was found to possess adenylate cyclase responsiveness to beta-adrenergic agonists. 2. The adenylate cyclase response was characterized with respect to activation constants (KA) for various beta-adrenergic agonists and inhibition constants (Ki) for antagonists. 3. Intact cells responded with dose-dependent increases in production of cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate. 4. Properties of the beta-adrenergic receptor were evaluated by using the specific binding of [3H]propranolol to cell membranes. Specific binding was saturable, with KD 5.79 nmol/l and binding sites 0.68 pmol/mg of protein. 5. Competition for binding to cell membranes was shown by beta-adrenergic agonists and antagonists and was stereospecific. There was close agreement between the affinity of these various agents on adenylate cyclase and receptor binding. 6. It is likely that the beta-adrenergic receptor-linked adenylate cyclase in COLO 16 cells represents persistence in a cancer cell line of a receptor present normally in epidermal cells.     

Desensitization of adenylate cyclase and down regulation of beta adrenergic receptors after in vivo administration of beta agonist

In vitro incubation of cells with catecholamines leads to both down regulation of beta adrenergic receptor number and desensitization of agonist-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. These same parameters, down regulation of beta adrenergic receptor number and desensitization of adenylate cyclase activity were assessed in rat lung membranes after in vivo administration of metaproterenol, a beta-2 selective agonist. In vivo treatment with metaproterenol leads to: 1) reduced beta adrenergic receptor number; 2) reduced isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity; 3) unaffected NaF or 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity; and 4) reduced affinity of the receptor for isoproterenol similar to the affinity observed in the presence of 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate. The date suggest that in vivo metaproterenol administration results in an uncoupled receptor-adenylate cyclase complex. The effects of in vivo administration of the glucocorticoid, methylprednisolone, to metaproterenol-pretreated animals were also assessed. Glucocorticoid treatment was associated with 1) increased beta adrenergic receptor number in rats in which the receptors have been down regulated, 2) increased isoproterenol responsiveness in agonist-desensitized rats and 3) no effect on agonist affinity in desensitized animals. These data suggest that the restoration of agonist responsiveness by glucocorticoids in the catecholamine refractive state is not simply a reversal of receptor down regulation or adenylate cyclase desensitization.     

Abnormality of adenylate cyclase regulation in human platelet membranes in renal insufficiency

Adenylate cyclase in human platelets is under dual control of prostaglandins (PGI2 and PGE1) and catecholamines. The adenylate cyclase complex in membranes of platelets from ten patients with uraemia was investigated. The activation of the platelet cyclase by PGE1 is increased in the uraemic state, Vmax 4436 +/- 607 pmol cAMP mg-1 15 min-1. In the normal state Vmax is 2098 +/- 309 pmol cAMP mg-1 15 min-1. The alpha 2-adrenergic receptor was assayed with 3H-yohimbine binding. The density of receptors was equal in the uraemic (175 fmol mg-1 membrane protein) and the normal (170 fmol mg-1 membrane protein) states. Norepinephrine/3H-yohimbine competition binding revealed that catecholamines were bound with normal affinity in platelets in uraemia. Yet the inhibition of adenylate cyclase through the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor was diminished since Vmax values of adenylate cyclase with PGE1 and PGE2 + norepinephrine did not significantly differ. In the normal state, norepinephrine significantly (P less than 0.05) inhibited the PGE1 stimulated cyclase. It is concluded that platelet adenylate cyclase in the uraemia has an increased capacity for activation which is the result of both a sensitized stimulatory mechanism (prostaglandin mediated) and a deficient inhibitory mechanism (catecholamine mediated). It is suggested that a defect exists in the inhibitory nucleotide binding protein (NI) which is the coupling unit between the adenylate cyclase catalytic subunit (C).     

Identification of beta-adrenergic receptors in human lymphocytes by (-) (3H) alprenolol binding.

Human lymphocytes are known to posessess a catecholamine-responsive adenylate cyclase which has typical beta-adrenergic specificity. To identify directly and to quantitate these beta-adenergic receptors in human lymphocytes, (-) [3H] alprenolol, a potent beta-adrenergic antagonist, was used to label binding sites in homogenates of human mononuclear leukocytes. Binding of (-) [3H] alprenolol to these sites demonstrated the kinetics, affinity, and stereospecificity expected of binding to adenylate cyclase-coupled beta-adrenergic receptors. Binding was rapid (t1/2 less than 30 s) and rapidly reversible (t1/2 less than 3 min) at 37 degrees C. Binding was a saturable process with 75 +/- 12 fmol (-) [3H] alprenolol bound/mg protein (mean +/- SEM) at saturation, corresponding to about 2,000 sites/cell. Half-maximal saturation occurred at 10 nM (-) [3H] alprenolol, which provides an estimate of the dissociation constant of (-) [3H] alprenolol for the beta-adrenergic receptor. The beta-adrenergic antagonist, (-) propranolol, potently competed for the binding sites, causing half-maximal inhibition of binding at 9 nM. beta-Adrenergic agonists also competed for the binding sites. The order of potency was (-) isoproterenol greater than (-) epinephrine greater than (-)-norepinephrine which agreed with the order of potency of these agents in stimulating leukocyte adenylate cyclase. Dissociation constants computed from binding experiments were virtually identical to those obtained from adenylate cyclase activation studies. Marked stereospecificity was observed for both binding and activation of adenylate cyclase. (-)Stereoisomers of beta-adrenergic agonists and antagonists were 9- to 300-fold more potent than their corresponding (+) stereoisomers. Structurally related compounds devoid of beta-adrenergic activity such as dopamine, dihydroxymandelic acid, normetanephrine, pyrocatechol, and phentolamine did not effectively compete for the binding sites. (-) [3H] alprenolol binding to human mononuclear leukocyte preparations was almost entirely accounted for by binding to small lymphocytes, the predominant cell type in the preparations. No binding was detectable to human erythrocytes. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using direct binding methods to study beta-adrenergic receptors in a human tissue. They also provide an experimental approach to the study of states of altered sensitivity to catecholamines at the receptor level in man.     

Impaired formation of beta-adrenergic receptor-nucleotide regulatory protein complexes in pseudohypoparathyroidism

Decreased activity of the guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (N) of the adenylate cyclase system is present in cell membranes of some patients with pseudohypoparathyrodism (PHP-Ia) whereas others have normal activity of N (PHP-Ib). Low N activity in PHP-Ia results in a decrease in hormone (H)-stimulatable adenylate cyclase in various tissues, which might be due to decreased ability to form an agonist-specific high affinity complex composed of H, receptor (R), and N. To test this hypothesis, we compared beta-adrenergic agonist-specific binding properties in erythrocyte membranes from five patients with PHP-Ia (N = 45% of control), five patients with PHP-Ib (N = 97%), and five control subjects. Competition curves that were generated by increasing concentrations of the beta-agonist isoproterenol competing with [125I]pindolol were shallow (slope factors less than 1) and were computer fit to a two-state model with corresponding high and low affinity for the agonist. The agonist competition curves from the PHP-Ia patients were shifted significantly (P less than 0.02) to the right as a result of a significant (P less than 0.01) decrease in the percent of beta-adrenergic receptors in the high affinity state from 64 +/- 22% in PHP-Ib and 56 +/- 5% in controls to 10 +/- 8% in PHP-Ia. The agonist competition curves were computer fit to a "ternary complex" model for the two-step reaction: H + R + N in equilibrium HR + N in equilibrium HRN. The modeling was consistent with a 60% decrease in the functional concentration of N, and was in good agreement with the biochemically determined decrease in erythrocyte N protein activity. These in vitro findings in erythrocytes taken together with the recent observations that in vivo isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity is decreased in patients with PHP (Carlson, H. E., and A. S. Brickman, 1983, J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 56:1323-1326) are consistent with the notion that N is a bifunctional protein interacting with both R and the adenylate cyclase. It may be that in patients with PHP-Ia a single molecular and genetic defect accounts for both decreased HRN formation and decreased adenylate cyclase activity, whereas in PHP-Ib the biochemical lesion(s) appear not to affect HRN complex formation.     

Specific inhibition of isoproterenol-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation by M2 muscarinic receptors in rat intestinal smooth muscle.

The ability of oxotremorine-M to inhibit cyclic AMP accumulation in the presence of a variety of adenylate cyclase activators was studied in slices from the longitudinal muscle of the rat ileum. Oxotremorine-M was found to inhibit forskolin- and isoproterenol-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation maximally by 17 and 32%, respectively, but not the stimulation due to other activators of adenylate cyclase. Inhibition of cyclic AMP accumulation by oxotremorine-M was unaffected by tetrodotoxin and was completely reversed by atropine. AF-DX 116 (11[[2-[(diethylamino)methyl]-1- piperidynyl]acetyl]-5,11-dihydro-6H-pyrido[2,3- b][1,4]benzodiazepine-6-one) an M2-selective antagonist, shifted the oxotremorine-M dose-response curve to the right with a dissociation constant (KB) of 0.20 microM, consistent with the dissociation constants for binding at the M2 muscarinic receptor site (KD = 0.092 microM) and inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity (KB = 0.13 microM). Hexahydrosiladifenidol, an M3-selective antagonist, shifted the oxotremorine-M dose-response curve to the right with a dissociation constant of 0.67 microM, again consistent with the dissociation constant for binding at the M2 site (KD = 0.83 microM). The agreement between the estimates of the dissociation constants of muscarinic antagonists for binding and for inhibition of cyclic AMP accumulation suggest that oxotremorine-M inhibition of isoproterenol-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in slices of rat intestinal smooth muscle is mediated by the M2 receptor.     

Leukocyte beta-receptor alterations in hypertensive subjects

It has been suggested that beta-adrenergic responsiveness is reduced in hypertension. To evaluate a possible alteration in human beta-receptors that might account for diminished beta-adrenergic responsiveness, we studied leukocytes from hypertensive and normotensive subjects after an overnight rest supine, and then after being ambulatory, a maneuver that increases plasma catecholamines approximately twofold. In supine samples, beta-receptor affinity for the agonist isoproterenol was significantly reduced in hypertensives and was associated with a reduction in the proportion of beta-receptors binding agonist with a high affinity from 42 +/- 6% in normotensive subjects to 25 +/- 2% in hypertensives (P less than 0.05). Alterations in beta-adrenergic-mediated adenylate cyclase activity parallelled the differences seen in the beta-receptor affinity for agonist. In normotensive subjects, beta-receptor density and the proportion of receptors binding agonist with high affinity were reciprocally correlated with plasma catecholamines. However, in the hypertensive subjects these correlations were not evident. Thus, our data suggest an alteration in leukocyte beta-receptor interactions in hypertensive subjects, and may represent a generalized defect in beta-receptor function in hypertension.     

Effect of potassium-channel opener therapy on reperfused infarction in hypertrophied hearts: demonstration of preconditioning by using functional and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

Effects of therapy with the potassium-channel opener and vasodilator nicorandil were studied in reperfused infarction of hypertrophied hearts by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hemodynamic measurements, and histochemical staining. Aortic banding was performed on 22 Sprague-Dawley rats to induce left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy; 11 were the controls. Eight weeks later, the left coronary artery was occluded for 25 minutes in all 33 animals, followed by 3 hours of reperfusion. During occlusion, 11 rats with LV hypertrophy received nicorandil (0.1 mg/kg bolus and 1.5 mg/kg/h for 3 hours). The new necrosis-specific contrast agent Gadophrin-3 was administered to all animals to delineate infarction on multislice T1-weighted spin-echo MRI. Nicorandil increased ischemic tolerance of LV hypertrophy as shown by the reduction of infarction size from 19.3% +/- 1.3% to 10.0% +/- 2.5% LV (P = .005). Infarction size in treated animals was identical to control (9.3% +/- 1.6%). Close correlation was found between MRI and postmortem findings. Functional MRI revealed an improvement in ejection fraction in nicorandil-treated hearts (48.5% +/- 3.4% vs 38.1% +/- 3.2%, P = .04). LV end-diastolic volume and pressure, aortic pressure, and peripheral vascular resistance were highest in untreated hypertrophied hearts. Brief ischemia caused severe injury in hypertrophied hearts. Infusing nicorandil increased the tolerance of hypertrophied hearts to ischemia. MRI is a suitable technique for the evaluation of new therapies in LV hypertrophy.     

Myocardial beta-adrenergic receptor function during the development of pacing-induced heart failure.

The development of pacing-induced heart failure was studied in chronically instrumented, conscious dogs paced at a rate of 240 beats/min for 1 d (n = 6), 1 wk (n = 6), and 3-4 wk (n = 7). Left ventricular (LV) dP/dt was decreased (P < 0.0125) at 1 d, LV end-diastolic pressure and heart rate were increased (P < 0.0125) at 1 wk, but clinical signs of heart failure were only observed after 3-4 wk of pacing. Plasma norepinephrine rose (P < 0.0125) after 1 d of pacing, whereas LV norepinephrine was reduced (P < 0.0125) only after 3-4 wk of pacing. Both the fraction of beta-adrenergic receptors binding agonist with high affinity and adenylyl cyclase activity decreased (P < 0.0125) after 1 d of pacing. Total beta-adrenergic receptor density was not changed at any time point, but beta 1-adrenergic receptor density was decreased (P < 0.0125) after 1 wk. The functional activity of the guanine nucleotide binding protein, Gs, was not reduced, but the Gi alpha 2 isoform of the alpha subunit of the GTP-inhibitory protein rose after 3-4 wk of pacing. Thus, myocardial beta-adrenergic signal transduction undergoes change shortly (1d) after the initiation of pacing, before heart failure develops. The mechanism of beta-adrenergic receptor dysfunction in pacing-induced heart failure is characterized initially by elevated plasma levels of catecholamines, uncoupling of beta-adrenergic receptors, and a defect in the adenylyl cyclase catalytic unit. Selective down-regulation of beta 1-adrenergic receptors, increases in Gi alpha 2, and decreases in myocardial catecholamine levels occur as later events.     

Left ventricular stiffness and chamber geometry in the pressure-overloaded hypertrophied heart.

Pressure-overloaded hypertrophy of the left ventricle (LV) was produced by coarctation of the ascending aorta in 7 dogs. The overall mean weight of the left ventricle (LVW) was 7.86 +/- 1.49 (S.D.) g/kg body weight; (normal, 5.99 +/- 0.70 g/kg: p less than 0.05). After potassium arrest, pressure-volume (P-V) relationships were examined with the left ventricles isolated from the normals and from the dogs of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH-dogs). In both groups, the P-V relationships could be expressed by an equation deltaV=a-be-cP throughout the range of filling pressure of 2.5 to 35 cmH2O, where deltav was the actual volume change of LV, P intraventricular pressure, and a, b and c constants. A sensitive index of LV stiffness, the half-inflation pressure (h), was defined as 1n (2b/a)/c. In hypertrophied hearts, h was 10.5 +/- 0.7 cmH2O; (normal 8.0 +/- 0.4 cmH2O; P less than 0.001). The ratio of LVW to LVVp=h (the left ventricular volume at h) in hypertrophy, which was related to the LV chamber geometry, was 3.1 +/- 0.6 in contrast with the normal value of 2.0 +/- 0.3. The development of concentric hypertrophy was thus demonstrated. Moreover, h was closely correlated with LVW/LVVp=h in both the normals and the LVH-dogs (r=0.83; p less than 0.01). On the other hand, an index of LV wall stiffness h/LVW/LVVP=h was relatively constant. Therefore, the increase of LV stiffness in the LVH-dogs was attributed to the change in chamber geometry.     

Regional atrial blood flow in dogs. Effect of hypertrophy on coronary flow reserve.

Little is known regarding regional atrial blood flow responses during varying hemodynamic states in both the normal and hypertrophied atria. This study was undertaken to develop a canine model of chronic atrial hypertrophy and to define in both this group and in normal dogs the regional blood flow response to acute atrial fibrillation and to measure coronary flow reserve. In the 12 dogs with atrial but not ventricular hypertrophy the mean left and right atrial weights were 75 and 47% respectively greater than in the normal group. Blood flow in the normal dogs was less in the appendage than in the non-appendage region for both atria and increased significantly during atrial fibrillation. Similar findings were noted in the hypertrophy group except that during control conditions the left atrial appendage flow was similar to the nonappendage flow. Minimal vascular resistance for the hypertrophy group, 39 +/- 3 was significantly (P less than 0.05) greater when compared to the normal group 28 +/- 2 mmHg/cm3 per min per g. Thus, significant regional blood flow differences occur in both the normal and hypertrophied atria. In addition, atrial hypertrophy does not alter the autoregulatory capacity to the hemodynamic stress of atrial fibrillation but does reduce coronary flow reserve.     

The positive chronotropic effect induced by BRL 37344 and CGP 12177, two beta-3 adrenergic agonists, does not involve cardiac beta adrenoceptors but baroreflex mechanisms.

The presence of a beta-3 adrenoceptor (in addition to the classical beta-1 and beta-2 adrenoceptors) and its involvement in the control of heart rate was investigated in the dog. Experiments were carried out in conscious normal and sinoaortic denervated dogs (i.e. animals deprived of baroreceptor pathways). In normal dogs, infusion of isoproterenol, BRL 37344 (4-[-[(2-hydroxy-(3-chlorophenyl) ethyl)-amino]propyl]phenoxyacetate) (a beta-3 adrenergic agonist) or CGP 12177 (4-[3-t-butylamino-2-hydroxypropoxy]benzimidazol-2- one) (a beta-1 beta-2 adrenergic antagonist reported to act as an agonist for the beta-3 adrenergic receptor) increased heart rate with an order of potency: BRL 37344 > isoproterenol > CGP 12177. [125I]Cyanopindolol binding (2-2000 pM) was saturable and Scatchard analysis indicated the presence of an homogenous population of binding sites. KD was 12.8 +/- 18.5 pM and maximum binding was 94.2 +/- 12.5 fmol/mg of protein. Competition binding studies on dog heart membranes using 150 pM [125I] cyanopindolol indicated an order of potency (CGP 12177 > isoproterenol > BRL 37344) different from that observed in cardiovascular studies. Isoproterenol stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in heart membranes from normal dogs, whereas CGP 12177 and BRL 37344 were without any stimulating action. The positive chronotropic effects of isoproterenol, BRL 37344 and CGP 12177 were accompanied with a reduction in arterial blood pressure. In sinoaortic denervated animals, isoproterenol infusion provoked tachycardia and hypotension. BRL 37344 and CGP 12177 were without any significant effect on heart rate but induced a rapid and dramatic hypotension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effects of captopril treatment of renovascular hypertension on beta-adrenergic modulation of L-type Ca(2+) current

beta-Adrenergic stimulation of cardiac L-type Ca(2+) channels is severely impaired in hypertrophied and failing hearts of both experimental animals and humans. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that chronic treatment of renovascular hypertension with captopril restores normal beta-adrenergic responsiveness of L-type Ca(2+) channels in cardiac myocytes. Left ventricular hypertrophy was induced in rabbits by unilateral renal artery banding and contralateral nephrectomy. Beginning at 3 months after banding, hypertensive rabbits were treated with captopril for 3 months. The responsiveness of L-type Ca(2+) current (I(Ca,L)) to (+/-)-isoproterenol was investigated with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. (+/-)-Isoproterenol (1 microM) induced an increase of I(Ca,L) at 0 mV of 126 +/- 20% (n = 13) in control myocytes versus 69 +/- 11% (n = 18) in hypertrophied myocytes from rabbits 3 months after banding. The half-maximal activation concentration of (+/-)-isoproterenol was similar between control and hypertrophied myocytes. Forskolin (10 microM) induced a similar percentage of increase of I(Ca,L) in control and hypertrophied myocytes, 109 +/- 13% (n = 12) versus 120 +/- 14% (n = 11) at 0 mV. The responsiveness of I(Ca,L) to (+/-)-isoproterenol remained depressed in untreated hypertensive rabbits. (+/-)-Isoproterenol (1 microM) increased I(Ca, L) at 0 mV by 64 +/- 8% (n = 14) in myocytes isolated from rabbits 6 months after banding versus 111 +/- 15% (n = 16) in age-matched controls. In captopril-treated rabbits, 1 microM (+/-)-isoproterenol increased I(Ca,L) by 110 +/- 11% (n = 17). We conclude that the maximal response of I(Ca,L) to (+/-)-isoproterenol was severely depressed in hypertrophied myocytes. Chronic treatment of renovascular hypertension with captopril can restore normal responsiveness of I(Ca,L) to (+/-)-isoproterenol in cardiac myocytes.