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The effects of hydrocortisone on rat heart muscarinic and adrenergic α1, β1 and β2 receptors, propranolol-resistant binding sites and on some subsequent steps in intracellular signalling

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Abstract

Glucocorticoids affect the expression and density of neurotransmitter receptors in many tissues but data concerning the heart are contradictory and incomplete. We injected rats with hydrocortisone for 1–12 days and measured the densities of cardiac muscarinic receptors, α1-, β1- and β2-adrenoceptors and propranolol-resistant binding sites (formerly assumed to be the putative β4-adrenoceptor). Some aspects of intracellular signalling were also evaluated: we measured adenylyl cyclase activity (basal, isoprenaline- and forskolin-stimulated and carbachol-inhibited), the coupling between muscarinic receptors and G proteins and basal and isoprenaline-stimulated heart rate. The density of cardiac muscarinic receptors increased (in both the atria and the ventricles). The density of β1-adrenoceptors increased in the atria and was little changed in the ventricles. The density of β2-adrenoceptors increased in both the atria and the ventricles. The number of α1-adrenoceptors decreased initially, followed by a transient increase in the atria and did not change in the ventricles. The density of propranolol-resistant binding sites first increased and then diminished in the atria and did not change in the ventricles. Although there were noticeable changes in receptor densities, the stimulatory and inhibitory effects on adenylyl cyclase, basal and isoprenaline-stimulated heart rate and the coupling between muscarinic receptors and G proteins were not significantly altered. This may indicate that changes in receptor densities might be one of the mechanisms maintaining stable functional output.

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate technical assistance by Mrs. Dana Ungerová and Romana Ondřejová. Work was supported by grants of the Grant Agency of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (A7011910/1999) and the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (309/00/D031).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physiology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 12800, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jaromír Mysliveček

  2. Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 14220, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jaromír Mysliveček, Jan Říčný, František Kolář & Stanislav Tuček†

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  1. Jaromír Mysliveček
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  2. Jan Říčný
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  3. František Kolář
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  4. Stanislav Tuček†
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Correspondence to Jaromír Mysliveček.

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† Deceased

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Mysliveček, J., Říčný, J., Kolář, F. et al. The effects of hydrocortisone on rat heart muscarinic and adrenergic α1, β1 and β2 receptors, propranolol-resistant binding sites and on some subsequent steps in intracellular signalling. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 368, 366–376 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-003-0825-1

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