Pharmacological evaluation of plasma membrane beta-adrenoceptors in rat hearts using the tissue segment binding method

Low-Dose Propranolol Prevents Functional Decline in Catecholamine-Induced Acute Heart Failure in Rats

Severe hyper-catecholaminergic states likely cause heart failure and cardiac fibrosis. While previous studies demonstrated the effects of beta-blockade in experimental models of single-catecholamine excess states, the detailed benefits of beta-blockade in more realistic models of hyper-adrenergic states are less clearly understood. In this study, we examined different therapeutic dosages and the effects of propranolol in rats with hyper-acute catecholamine-induced heart failure, and subsequent cardiopulmonary changes. Rats (n = 41) underwent a 6 h infusion of epinephrine and norepinephrine alone, with additional low-dose (1 mg/kg) or high-dose propranolol (10 mg/kg) at hour 1. Cardiac and pulmonary tissues were examined after 6 h. Catecholamine-only groups had the lowest survival rate. Higher doses of propranolol (15 mg/kg) caused similarly low survival rates and were not further analyzed. All low-dose propranolol rats survived, with a modest survival improvement in the high-dose propranolol groups. Left ventricular (LV) systolic pressure and LV end-diastolic pressure improved maximally with low-dose propranolol. Cardiac immunohistochemistry revealed an LV upregulation of FGF-23 in the catecholamine groups, and this improved in low-dose propranolol groups. These results suggest catecholamine-induced heart failure initiates early pre-fibrotic pathways through FGF-23 upregulation. Low-dose propranolol exerted cardio-preventative effects through FGF-23 downregulation and hemodynamic-parameter improvement in our model of hyper-acute catecholamine-induced heart failure.

PDE2 activity differs in right and left rat ventricular myocardium and differentially regulates β2 adrenoceptor-mediated effects

The important regulator of cardiac function, cAMP, is hydrolyzed by different cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs), whose expression and activity are not uniform throughout the heart. Of these enzymes, PDE2 shapes β1 adrenoceptor-dependent cardiac cAMP signaling, both in the right and left ventricular myocardium, but its role in regulating β2 adrenoceptor-mediated responses is less well known. Our aim was to investigate possible differences in PDE2 transcription and activity between right (RV) and left (LV) rat ventricular myocardium, as well as its role in regulating β2 adrenoceptor effects. The free walls of the RV and the LV were obtained from Sprague-Dawley rat hearts. Relative mRNA for PDE2 (quantified by qPCR) and PDE2 activity (evaluated by a colorimetric procedure and using the PDE2 inhibitor EHNA) were determined in RV and LV. Also, β2 adrenoceptor-mediated effects (β2-adrenoceptor agonist salbutamol + β1 adrenoceptor antagonist CGP-20712A) on contractility and cAMP concentrations, in the absence or presence of EHNA, were studied in the RV and LV. PDE2 transcript levels were less abundant in RV than in LV and the contribution of PDE2 to the total PDE activity was around 25% lower in the microsomal fraction of the RV compared with the LV. β2 adrenoceptor activation increased inotropy and cAMP levels in the LV when measured in the presence of EHNA, but no such effects were observed in the RV, either in the presence or absence of EHNA. These results indicate interventricular differences in PDE2 transcript and activity levels, which may distinctly regulate β2 adrenoceptor-mediated contractility and cAMP concentrations in the RV and in the LV of the rat heart.

Preclinical evaluation of an 18F-labelled beta1-adrenoceptor selective radioligand based on ICI 89,406

PURPOSE

Radioligand binding studies indicate a down-regulation of myocardial beta(1)-adrenoceptors (beta(1)-AR) in cardiac disease which may or may not be associated with a decrease in beta(2)-ARs. We have chosen ICI 89,406, a beta(1)-selective AR antagonist, as the lead structure to develop new beta(1)-AR radioligands for PET and have synthesised a fluoro-ethoxy derivative (F-ICI).

METHODS

(S)-N-[2-[3-(2-Cyano-phenoxy)-2-hydroxy-propylamino]-ethyl]-N'-[4-(2-[(18)F]fluoro-ethoxy)-phenyl]-urea ((S)-[(18)F]F-ICI) was synthesised. Myocardial uptake of radioactivity after intravenous injection of (S)-[(18)F]F-ICI into adult CD(1) mice or Wistar rats was assessed with positron emission tomography (PET) and postmortem dissection. Metabolism was assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of plasma and urine.

RESULTS

The heart was visualised with PET after injection of (S)-[(18)F]F-ICI but neither unlabelled F-ICI nor propranolol (non-selective beta-AR antagonist) injected 15 min after (S)-[(18)F]F-ICI affected myocardial radioactivity. Ex vivo dissection demonstrated that predosing with propranolol or CGP 20712 (beta(1)-selective AR-antagonist) did not affect myocardial radioactivity. Radiometabolites rapidly appeared in plasma and both (S)-[(18)F]F-ICI and radiometabolites accumulated in urine.

CONCLUSIONS

Myocardial uptake of (S)-[(18)F]F-ICI after intravenous injection was mainly at sites unrelated to beta(1)-ARs. (S)-[(18)F]F-ICI is not a suitable beta(1)-selective-AR radioligand for PET.

Evaluation of beta1L-adrenoceptors in rabbit heart by tissue segment binding assay

[(3)H]-CGP12177 biphasically bound to beta-adrenoceptors with high and low affinities in the segments and crude membranes of rabbit left ventricle. The low-affinity sites for [(3)H]-CGP12177 in the segments was double in density, compared to the density of high-affinity sites. Total abundance of the beta-adrenoceptors decreased to approximately 10% upon tissue homogenization, and the proportion of low-affinity sites was the same as that of the high-affinity sites in the membranes. The majority of the high-affinity binding sites of [(3)H]-CGP12177 in the segments and the membranes were beta(1H)-adrenoceptor, being highly sensitive to propranolol and beta(1)-antagonists (atenolol and ICI-89,406), whereas the low-affinity binding sites showed a beta(1L)-profile (less sensitive to propranolol and beta(1)-, beta(2)-, and beta(3)-antagonists). Furthermore, a part of the beta(1L)-adrenoceptors was insensitive to atenolol, ICI-89,406, and/or isoproterenol. The present binding study clearly shows that beta(1L)-adrenoceptors occur as a distinct phenotype from beta(1H)-adrenoceptors in rabbit ventricle. However, quantitative imbalance between beta(1H)- and beta(1L)-adrenoceptors and divergent ligand-beta(1L)-adrenoceptor interactions suggest a possibility that the beta(1L)-adrenoceptor may not reflect a simple conformational change or allosteric state in the beta(1)-adrenoceptor molecule.

Pharmacological evaluation of ocular beta-adrenoceptors in rabbit by tissue segment binding method

AIMS

This study evaluates ocular (iris, ciliary body and ciliary process) and nonocular (atria and lung) beta-adrenoceptors in rabbit to characterize the plasma membrane beta-adrenoceptors and binding affinities of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists.

MAIN METHODS

The tissue segment binding method with a hydrophilic radioligand (-)-4-[3-t-butylamino-2-hydroxypropoxy]-[5,7-(3)H]benzimidazol-2-one ([(3)H]-CGP12177) was employed.

KEY FINDINGS

Specific and saturable binding of [(3)H]-CGP12177 to intact tissue segments was detected by using (+/-)-propranolol to define nonspecific binding, showing a single population of plasma membrane binding sites with high affinity. Competition experiments with selective beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptor antagonists revealed a single population of beta(2)-adrenoceptors in ocular tissues and of beta(1)-adrenoceptors in atria, but mixed populations of beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptors in 70% and 30%, respectively, in lung. A competition curve for timolol was biphasic in lung and its binding affinity for beta(2)-adrenoceptors was approximately 158-fold higher than for beta(1)-adrenoceptors, indicating the beta(2)-selectivity of timolol. In contrast, competition curves for stereoisomers of befunolol, carteolol, and propranolol were monophasic in all tissues. The (-)-enantiomers of these antagonists were more potent than corresponding (+)-enantiomers in displacing from [(3)H]-CGP12177 binding, and the isomeric potency ratios of befunolol and carteolol were less than those of propranolol.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study with tissue segment binding method suggests that the binding affinity of (-)-enantiomers of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists for plasma membrane beta-adrenoceptors (beta(1)-adrenoceptors of atria, beta(2)-adrenoceptors of ocular tissues, and mixed beta(1)-/beta(2)-adrenoceptors of lung) is higher than that of corresponding (+)-enantiomers and their stereoselectivity is different between beta-adrenoceptor antagonists.

Native profiles of alpha(1A)-adrenoceptor phenotypes in rabbit prostate

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

alpha(1)-Adrenoceptors in the rabbit prostate have been studied because of their controversial pharmacological profiles in functional and radioligand binding studies. The purpose of the present study is to determine the native profiles of alpha(1)-adrenoceptor phenotypes and to clarify their relationship.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Binding experiments with [3H]-silodosin and [3H]-prazosin were performed using intact tissue segments and crude membrane preparations of rabbit prostate and the results were compared with alpha(1)-adrenoceptor-mediated prostate contraction.

KEY RESULTS

[3H]-Silodosin at subnanomolar concentrations bound specifically to intact tissue segments of rabbit prostate. However, [3H]-prazosin at the same range of concentrations failed to bind to alpha(1)-adrenoceptors of intact segments. Binding sites of [3H]-silodosin in intact segments were composed of alpha(1L) phenotype with low affinities for prazosin (pKi=7.1), 5-methyurapidil and N-[2-(2-cyclopropylmethoxyphenoxy)ethyl]-5-chloro-alpha,alpha-dimethyl-1H-indole-3-ethamine hydrochloride (RS-17053), and alpha(1A)-like phenotype with moderate affinity for prazosin (pKi=8.8) but high affinity for 5-methyurapidil and RS-17053. In contrast, both radioligands bound to a single population of alpha(1)-adrenoceptors in the membrane preparations at the same density with a subnanomolar affinity, showing a typical profile of 'classical' alpha(1A)-adrenoceptors (pKi for prazosin=9.8). The pharmacological profile of alpha(1)-adrenoceptor-mediated prostate contraction was in accord with the alpha(1L) phenotype observed by intact segment binding approach.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Three distinct phenotypes (alpha(1L) and alpha(1A)-like phenotypes in the intact segments and a classical alpha(1A) phenotype in the membranes) with different affinities for prazosin were detected in rabbit prostate. It appears that the three phenotypes are phenotypic subtypes of alpha(1A)-adrenoceptors, but are not genetically different subtypes.

Are [O-methyl-11C]derivatives of ICI 89,406 beta1-adrenoceptor selective radioligands suitable for PET?

PURPOSE

Radioligand binding studies show that beta(1)-adrenoceptor (beta(1)-AR) density may be reduced in heart disease without down regulation of beta(2)-ARs. Radioligands are available for measuring total beta-AR density non-invasively with clinical positron emission tomography (PET) but none are selective for beta(1)- or beta(2)-ARs. The aim was to evaluate ICI 89,406, a beta(1)-AR-selective antagonist amenable to labelling with positron emitters, for PET.

METHODS

The S-enantiomer of an [O-methyl-(11)C] derivative of ICI 89,406 ((S)-[(11)C]ICI-OMe) was synthesised. Tissue radioactivity after i.v. injection of (S)-[(11)C]ICI-OMe (< 2 nmol x kg(-1)) into adult Wistar rats was assessed by small animal PET and post mortem dissection. Metabolism was assessed by HPLC of extracts prepared from plasma and tissues and by measuring [(11)C]CO(2) in exhaled air.

RESULTS

The heart was visualised by PET after injection of (S)-[(11)C]ICI-OMe but neither unlabelled (S)-ICI-OMe nor propranolol (non-selective beta-AR antagonist) injected 15 min after (S)-[(11)C]ICI-OMe affected myocardial radioactivity. Ex vivo dissection showed that injecting unlabelled (S)-ICI-OMe, propranolol or CGP 20712A (beta(1)-selective AR antagonist) at high dose (> 2 mumol x kg(-1)) before (S)-[(11)C]ICI-OMe had a small effect on myocardial radioactivity. HPLC demonstrated that radioactivity in myocardium was due to unmetabolised (S)-[(11)C]ICI-OMe although (11)C-labelled metabolites rapidly appeared in plasma and liver and [(11)C]CO(2) was detected in exhaled air.

CONCLUSION

Myocardial uptake of (S)-[(11)C]ICI-OMe after i.v. injection was low, possibly due to rapid metabolism in other tissues. Injection of unlabelled ligand or beta-AR antagonists had little effect indicating that binding was mainly to non-specific myocardial sites, thus precluding the use of (S)-[(11)C]ICI-OMe to assess beta(1)-ARs with PET.

Different changes of plasma membrane beta-adrenoceptors in rat heart after chronic administration of propranolol, atenolol and bevantolol

Recently, tissue segment binding method with a hydrophilic radioligand [(3)H]-CGP12177 was developed to detect plasma membrane beta-adrenoceptors in rat heart (Horinouchi et al., 2006). In the present study, propranolol (40 mg kg(-1) day(-1)), atenolol (40 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) and bevantolol (200 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) were administered to rats for 6 weeks, and the changes of plasma membrane beta-adrenoceptors and their mRNA expression in rat ventricle were examined. Chronic administration of propranolol increased the beta(1)-adrenoceptors but decreased the beta(2)-adrenoceptors without changing total amount of plasma membrane beta-adrenoceptors. Atenolol increased both plasma membrane beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptors, whereas bevantolol had no effect on the beta-adrenoceptor density and their subtype proportions. In contrast, the density of beta-adrenoceptors detected in conventional homogenate binding study was extremely low (approximately 60% of plasma membrane beta-adrenoceptors detected with the tissue segment binding method) and the effects of chronic administration of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists were not necessarily in accord with those at the plasma membrane beta-adrenoceptors. The mRNA levels of beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptors were not altered by propranolol treatment, while beta(1)-adrenoceptor mRNA significantly decreased after administration of atenolol or bevantolol without changing the level of beta(2)-adrenoceptor mRNA. The present binding study with intact tissue segments clearly shows that the plasma membrane beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptors of rat heart, in contrast to the homogenate binding sites and the mRNA levels, are differently affected by chronic treatment with three beta-adrenoceptor antagonists; up- and down-regulations of beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptors, respectively, by propranolol, and up-regulation of both the subtypes by atenolol, but no significant change in both the subtypes by bevantolol.