title: Changes in the number of beta-adrenergic receptors of lymphocytes in patients with varying degrees of congestive heart failure.
abstract: This study was designed to determine changes in the number of beta-adrenergic receptors of circulating lymphocytes in patients with varying degrees of congestive heart failure. Thirty-seven patients with congestive heart failure were classified into four groups according to the functional classifications of the New York Heart Association (class I, 12 patients; class II, 12 patients; class III, eight patients; class IV, five patients). The control group consisted of 24 healthy volunteers. Binding assays of beta-adrenergic receptors in circulating lymphocytes and plasma norepinephrine concentrations were determined in each group. Compared with the control group, the number of beta-adrenergic receptors in patients of the class-III and class-IV groups was reduced by 37% and 36%, respectively, and plasma norepinephrine concentrations of class-III and class-IV patients were increased by 3.5 times and 5.9 times, respectively. No significant changes in the numbers of beta-adrenergic receptors or in plasma norepinephrine concentrations were observed in patients of the class-I and class-II groups. These findings show a decrease in the number of beta-adrenergic receptors in patients with high plasma norepinephrine concentrations. It is suggested that the chronically high concentration of norepinephrine, resulting from activation of the sympathetic nervous system associated with severe congestive heart failure, is linked with the down regulation of beta-adrenergic receptors. The action of sympathomimetic amines may therefore be altered in patients with congestive heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Satake
mesh_terms: D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020120:Iodocyanopindolol; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010869:Pindolol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D020120:Iodocyanopindolol; D010869:Pindolol; D009638:Norepinephrine