Decreased sensitivity to beta-adrenergic stimulation of the ventricular cells isolated from the spontaneously hypertensive rat heart

Changes in the in vitro pharmacodynamic properties of metoprolol in atria isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats

1. The present study addressed possible changes in the dissociation constant of metoprolol and its inverse agonist activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In addition, a possible correlation between cardiac hypertrophy and the inverse agonist activity of metoprolol was explored. 2. In order to determine the dissociation constant (expressed as the pKb) of metoprolol, a cumulative concentration-response curve to noradrenaline was constructed in the absence or presence of metoprolol (0.1, 1 or 10 micromol/L). In a second experiment, a cumulative concentration-response curve to metoprolol was constructed to determine its inverse agonist activity. 3. The ventricular weight of SHR was significantly greater compared with Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. A rightward shift of the concentration-response curve to noradrenaline was observed in SHR compared with WKY rats. The pKb of metoprolol was smaller in SHR compared with WKY rats (6.35 +/- 0.14 vs 6.99 +/- 0.12, respectively; P < 0.05). No difference was observed in the maximal response (Emax) of the concentration-time effect of metoprolol in WKY rats and SHR (-29.1 +/- 7.1 vs-28.2 +/- 8.5%, respectively; n = 6 for both). However, the concentration of metoprolol eliciting a half-maximal effect (expressed as the pEC50) was significantly smaller in SHR compared with WKY rats (4.82 +/- 0.07 vs 5.29 +/- 0.13, respectively; n = 6; P < 0.05). Although a significant correlation (r = -0.876) between the ventricular weight/bodyweight (VW/BW) ratio and the pEC50 of the chronotropic effect of metoprolol was found, no relationship (r = -0.257) was found between the VW/BW ratio and Emax. 4. In summary, the present study provides the first evidence of a change in the in vitro pharmacodynamic properties of metoprolol in SHR. The sympathetic overactivity present in SHR not only reduces the positive chronotropic effect of noradrenaline, but also diminishes the constant dissociation of metoprolol from atrial beta1-adrenoceptors and its inverse agonist activity. A significant correlation between the VW/BW ratio and the inverse agonist potency of metoprolol was found, suggesting a possible link between cardiac hypertrophy and the reduction of the inverse agonist activity of metoprolol.

Inotropic responses to phosphodiesterase inhibitors in cardiac hypertrophy in rats

In the present study we sought to determine whether reduced contractile responses to phosphodiesterase inhibitors occur in the face of chronic cardiac hypertrophy associated with beta-adrenergic inotropic downregulation. As compared to age-matched Wistar-Kyoto control rats, spontaneously hypertensive rats at 6-8 months of age exhibited a striking decrease in left ventricular inotropic responses induced by isoproterenol, a beta-adrenoceptor agonist, in isolated, isovolumically contracting heart preparations. Despite profound beta-adrenoceptor-mediated inotropic downregulation, similar contractile responses to the phosphodiesterase III selective inhibitors, amrinone and milrinone, the phosphodiesterase IV selective inhibitor, rolipram, and non-selective phosphodiesterase inhibitor, pentoxifylline, were detected in normal and hypertrophic heart preparations. Moreover, the inotropic potency of the cAMP analogue, 8-Br-cAMP, was increased in spontaneously hypertensive rats. These findings suggest that in chronic cardiac hypertrophy, contractile responses to phosphodiesterase inhibitors may be preserved despite marked reductions in inotropic responses to beta-adrenoceptor agonists.

Beta-adrenergic receptors and calcium cycling proteins in non-failing, hypertrophied and failing human hearts: transition from hypertrophy to failure

Left ventricular hypertrophy may lead to heart failure. The transition between hypertrophy and heart failure is, however, incompletely understood. On the cellular level, human heart failure is characterized by alterations in Ca(2+)-cycling proteins and beta-adrenergic receptor density, but the hypertrophied human heart remains largely under studied. In this investigation, 21 donor hearts which could not be used for transplantation were studied. Ten of these hearts came from organ donors with documented left ventricular hypertrophy and normal cardiac function. Eleven of the hearts were non-failing, obtained from individuals with no evidence of cardiac disease. Nine failing hearts from transplant recipients were also studied. beta-adrenergic receptor density was determined by radioligand binding. mRNA for atrial natriuretic factor, calsequestrin, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase, and phospholamban was measured by Northern blot. Actin, calsequestrin, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase, and phospholamban proteins were quantified by Western blot. In both hypertrophied and failing ventricles, mRNA for atrial natriuretic factor was expressed, as compared to no expression in non-failing hearts. In failing hearts, beta -adrenergic receptor density and both mRNA and protein levels of the Ca(2+)-ATPase were significantly decreased v non-failing hearts. By comparison, hypertrophied hearts showed a reduction in mRNA expression for both the Ca(2+)-ATPase and phospholamban with no change in the corresponding protein levels, and no change in beta-receptors. These data suggest that the previously demonstrated reduction in beta-adrenergic receptors and Ca(2+)-cycling proteins in the failing human heart may be features of the decompensated state, but are not found in human hearts with left ventricular hypertrophy and preserved systolic function.