Chronic ethanol treatment changes the number of beta-receptors in rat brain microvessels.
The effect of chronic ethanol consumption on the binding (125I)-iodohydroxybenzylpindolol to beta-adrenergic receptors in rat brain microvessels has been studied. The results show that chronic ethanol treatment increases the number of beta-receptors present in brain microvessels without changing the binding affinity of the binding site for the beta-adrenoceptor ligand. This effect is apparently not associated with changes in peripheral adrenergic tone, since no differences in platelet epinephrine or norepinephrine concentrations were found between ethanol-treated and control animals. An increase in beta-receptor density in brain microvessels might contribute to the alterations of cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption reported during chronic ethanol intoxication.
D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010869:Pindolol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D000431:Ethanol; C011878:iodohydroxybenzylpindolol; D010869:Pindolol; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine