Beta- and alpha-adrenoceptor-agonists and -antagonists in chronic heart failure

Cardiac and neuroprotection regulated by α(1)-adrenergic receptor subtypes

Sympathetic nervous system regulation by the α(1)-adrenergic receptor (AR) subtypes (α(1A), α(1B), α(1D)) is complex, whereby chronic activity can be either detrimental or protective for both heart and brain function. This review will summarize the evidence that this dual regulation can be mediated through the different α(1)-AR subtypes in the context of cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, apoptosis, ischemic preconditioning, neurogenesis, locomotion, neurodegeneration, cognition, neuroplasticity, depression, anxiety, epilepsy, and mental illness.

Functional characterization of alpha(1)-adrenoceptor subtypes in human skeletal muscle resistance arteries

alpha(1)-adrenoceptor subtypes in human skeletal muscle resistance arteries were characterized using agonists noradrenaline (non-selective) and A61603 (alpha(1A)-selective), the antagonists prazosin (non-selective), 5-methyl-urapidil (alpha(1A)-selective) and BMY7378 (alpha(1D)-selective) and the alkylating agent chloroethylclonidine (preferential for alpha(1B)). Small arteries were obtained from the non-ischaemic skeletal muscle of limbs amputated for critical limb ischaemia and isometric tension recorded using wire myography. Prazosin antagonized responses to noradrenaline with a pA(2) value of 9.18, consistent with the presence of alpha(1)-adrenoceptors, although the Schild slope (1.32) was significantly different from unity. 5-Methyl-urapidil competitively antagonized responses to noradrenaline with a pK(B) value of 8.48 and a Schild slope of 0.99, consistent with the presence of alpha(1A)-adrenoceptors. In the presence of 300 nM 5-methyl-urapidil, noradrenaline exhibited biphasic concentration response curves, indicating the presence of a minor population of a 5-methyl-urapidil-resistant subtype. Contractile responses to noradrenaline were not affected by 1 microM chloroethylclonidine suggesting the absence of alpha(1B)-adrenoceptors. Maximum responses to noradrenaline and A61603 were reduced to a similar extent by 10 microM chloroethylclonidine, suggesting an effect of chloroethylclonidine at alpha(1A)-adrenoceptors at the higher concentration. BMY7378 (10 and 100 nM) had no effect on responses to noradrenaline. BMY7378 (1 microM) poorly shifted the potency of noradrenaline giving a pA(2) of 6.52. These results rule out the presence of the alpha(1D)-subtype. These results show that contractile responses to noradrenaline in human skeletal muscle resistance arteries are predominantly mediated by the alpha(1A)-adrenoceptor subtype with a minor population of an unknown alpha(1)-adrenoceptor subtype.