Agonist-induced regulation of adrenoceptor subtypes in cerebral cortical slices

Platelet and brain alpha 2-adrenoceptors and cardiovascular sensitivity to agonists in dogs suffering from endotoxic shock

We examined the changes in alpha 2-adrenoceptor binding on platelet and brain membranes of dogs treated with a non-lethal dose of endotoxin (0.1 mg/kg intravenously), and the alpha 2-adrenoceptor mediated cardiovascular effects during endotoxin shock. At 2 h, 24 h, and 7 days after endotoxin administration, the number of binding sites (Bmax) of [3H]yohimbine binding decreased and equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd) increased in platelets, whereas both Bmax and Kd decreased in either cerebral cortex or medulla oblongata. After 30 days of endotoxin administration, there were no significant differences in Bmax or Kd between the treated and untreated animals in both platelets and brain tissues. Significant positive correlations were observed for Bmax values between platelets and brain tissues, although negative correlations for Kd values between platelets and brain were not significant. Significant negative correlations were also observed between plasma catecholamine concentrations and platelet alpha 2-adrenoceptor number, and between plasma noradrenaline and medulla alpha 2-adrenoceptor number. Pretreatment with E coli endotoxin diminished cardiovascular effects such as bradycardia, hypotension, and increase in systemic vascular resistance induced by either i.v. clonidine or xylazine. This suggests that alpha 2-adrenoceptor activity is impaired in the central nervous system as well as in the peripheral vascular system during endotoxin shock. Therefore, platelets may in part represent a good model which reflects the alpha 2-adrenoceptor changes in the central nervous system and peripheral vascular system during and after endotoxin shock.

Development and isoproterenol-induced regulation of adrenoceptor binding in cultured rat neocortical explants is seen only with the beta-1, not with the beta-2 subtype

The presence and time-course of beta-adrenoceptor density in cultured explants of neocortex obtained from 6-day-old rat pups were investigated using a [125I]ICYP binding assay. A delayed, but more pronounced, increase in the receptor expression was observed as compared to the situation previously described in vivo. These changes only occurred for the beta 1-subtype of the receptor, whereas the beta 2-subtype binding remained constant up to 3 weeks in vitro. The delay of beta 1-adrenoceptor expression may be due to the incomplete presence of the proper maturational input, and the late enhancement of receptor expression to upregulation related to the absence in vitro of noradrenergic input. Decreased beta-adrenoceptor levels could be induced by chronic treatment of the beta-agonist isoproterenol (1 microM) introduced either for 3 or 13 days. Again, changes in density were found only for the beta 1-adrenoceptor binding sites. There is no reduction of receptor density following return to control conditions for 10 days after a 3-day treatment with isoproterenol, demonstrating the ability of this model to attain its final receptor density notwithstanding the developmental insult.

Modulation by isoproterenol and propranolol of somatostatin receptors in synaptosomes from rat frontoparietal cortex

DL-Propranolol (PRO), a beta-adrenergic blocking agent, and the neuropeptide somatostatin (SS) have central nervous system depressant and anticonvulsive properties. To investigate a possible relationship between these two components, we studied the influence of PRO and DL-isoproterenol (ISO), a beta-adrenergic agonist, on the somatostatinergic system in the rat frontoparietal cortex. The short- (5 h) and long-term (14 days) administration of ISO (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)), or of PRO (10 mg/kg, i.p.) did not affect somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) content in the frontoparietal cortex of male Wistar rats. Both short- and long-term ISO administration decreased the number of specific [125I]Tyr11-SS receptors in synaptosomes from frontoparietal cortex (31%, P < 0.05, and 26%, P < 0.02, after short- and long-term administration, respectively) without changing the affinity constant. This decrease in the number of [125I]Tyr11-SS receptors was not due to a direct effect of ISO on these receptors since no decrease in binding was produced by high concentrations of ISO (10(-5) M) when added in vitro. This decrease could be blocked by pretreatment with PRO. Short- and long-term administration of PRO alone produced an increase in the [125I]Tyr11-SS binding in frontoparietal cortex (26%, P < 0.02, and 40%, P < 0.001, after short- or long-term administration, respectively) without changing the affinity constant.

Beta-adrenergic receptor activity of cerebral microvessels in experimental diabetes mellitus

The effect of diabetes mellitus on beta-adrenergic receptor number (B(max)), receptor-cyclase coupling and adenylate cyclase (AC) activity was determined in cerebral microvessels isolated from control and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats after 5 weeks of induction of diabetes. Scatchard analysis of [125I]iodocyanopindolol (ICYP) binding indicated that the B(max) (fmol/mg) in diabetic rat cerebral microvessels (63.8 +/- 4.8) (mean +/- S.E.M.) was not significantly different from the B(max) in control rats (56.5 +/- 6.9). Isoproterenol competition of [125I]ICYP binding sites indicated that the percentage of beta-receptors expressing high affinity binding was 53.9 +/- 0.45% in control rats and 47.5 +/- 2.3% in diabetic rats. The total isoproterenol-stimulated AC activity (pmol cAMP/mg) in diabetic rats (76.7 +/- 6.1) was significantly lower than that in control rats (118.4 +/- 11.2) (P less than 0.01). However, the net isoproterenol-stimulated AC activity (i.e. total minus GTP-stimulated AC activity) was not altered in diabetes. The net sodium fluoride (NaF) stimulated AC activity in diabetic rats (109.5 +/- 11.4) was significantly lower than the control rats (154.3 +/- 16.3) (P less than 0.05). It is concluded that diabetes mellitus in rats is associated with reduced post receptor activation of adenylate cyclase in cerebral microvessels while the beta-adrenergic receptor density, affinity and receptor-cyclase coupling are not significantly altered.

Central administration of 1-isoproterenol in vivo induces a preferential regulation of beta 2-adrenoceptors in the central nervous system of the rat

1-Isoproterenol has equal affinity for beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors and is a full agonist at both subtypes. However, when infused in vivo into the rat brain, it has been shown to induce a preferential reduction of central beta 2-adrenoceptors. To investigate this phenomenon further, in the present study rats were infused centrally with higher doses of 1-isoproterenol (15 or 45 micrograms/h). Furthermore, isoproterenol was infused into rats lesioned neonatally with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Subtypes of beta-adrenoceptors were measured by quantitative autoradiography of the binding of [125I]iodopindolol ([125I]IPIN). In sham lesioned rats, infusions of isoproterenol at both doses caused comparable reductions in the density of [125I]IPIN binding sites in many brain regions. The binding to beta 2-adrenoceptors was decreased in a larger number of brain areas than the binding to beta 1-adrenoceptors and the magnitude of the reduction was greater for beta 2- than for beta 1-adrenoceptors. However, isoproterenol at these doses did produce greater effects on the beta 1-subtype than those found previously with a lower dose. Treatment with 6-OHDA induced significant increases in the binding of [125I]IPIN to both beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors in cerebral cortical and hippocampal areas, indicating that endogenous norepinephrine may regulate both subtypes in these regions. Even in the 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, the binding of [125I]IPIN to beta 2-adrenoceptors was reduced to a greater extent that the binding to beta 1-adrenoceptors. Thus, these studies demonstrate that the non-selective beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol induces a preferential regulation of beta 2-adrenoceptors, even at relatively high doses and in norepinephrine-depleted animals.

Does chronic prenatal methadone exposure affect beta-receptor subtypes in placental, fetal and maternal brain homogenates?

Computer competition analysis of 3H-DHA (3H-dihydroalprenolol, a nonselective beta-adrenergic radioligand) binding in the presence of unlabeled metoprolol (a beta 1-selective antagonist) indicates the existence of both beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptor subtypes in the rat placenta and confirms previous reports that both beta-adrenoceptors are present in adult rat cortex. In the fetal brain (20th day of gestation), however, only beta 1-receptors were detected. Pregnant rats were chronically exposed to methadone from day 7 to day 20 of gestation via implanted osmotic minipumps (6.3-9.0 mg/kg/day). This treatment schedule did not induce a change in the affinity and density of either beta-receptor subtype in the placental, fetal and maternal brain homogenates. The results are discussed in terms of the reported monoaminergic and opiate receptor functional interactions.

Impaired beta-adrenergic mediated cerebral blood flow response in streptozotocin diabetic rats

The influence of intracarotic infusion of isoproterenol on cerebral blood flow, on cerebrovascular CO2-reactivity, and on cerebral glucose metabolism were investigated in streptozotocin diabetic rats. Resting cerebral blood flow in diabetic rats decreased by 26% from a control value of 90 ml/100 g.min. to 66 ml/100 g.min. Intracarotid isoproterenol infusion leads to a significant increase in cerebral blood flow in both groups. The increase in cerebral blood flow in control rats (70%), significantly exceeded that in the streptozotocin diabetic rats (33%). Cerebrovascular reactivity to carbon dioxide was preserved after isoproterenol infusion in both groups and there was no significant difference in the relative cerebral blood flow increase in the two groups. Cerebral glucose metabolism was also unaffected by the isoproterenol infusion. The results indicate that impaired beta-adrenergic mechanisms may play a role for alterations in cerebral blood flow that is seen in diabetes mellitus.

Neuropeptides modulate beta-adrenergic agonist binding and receptor downregulation in slices of rat brain

Displacement curves of the beta-adrenergic agonist (-)-isoproterenol, on the binding of [3H]-dihydroalprenolol (DHA) in homogenates from the brain of rat defined a two-site model of high (KH; 8.5 +/- 1.6 nM) and low (KL; 771 +/- 111 nM) affinity. The KL/KH ratio was 84.5 +/- 4.5. Somatostatin, ACTH, dynorphin and mastoparan, but not vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), substance P, met-enkephalin or leu-enkephalin, each at 1 microM, decreased the KL/KH ratio to 35.2 +/- 4.2, 43.0 +/- 5.0, 52.0 +/- 2.3 and 60.3 +/- 8.0, respectively, without significant effect on either the Kd or Bmax of antagonist binding. Calcium was required for this effect of the neuropeptides. In slices from whole brain of rat, incubated for 2 hr, ACTH attenuated the isoproterenol-induced downregulation of beta-adrenoceptors. For beta-adrenergic agonists, there appeared to be a close correlation between the KL/KH ratio and intrinsic activity. These results suggest that certain neuropeptides may influence beta-adrenergic neurotransmission by modulating the intrinsic activity of beta-agonists. This modulation is manifested, at least in part, by changes in both binding affinity and receptor down-regulation.