title: Adrenergic regulation of adrenal and aortic heat shock protein.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgical stress results in catecholamine secretion and selective induction of the major heat shock protein (HSP70) in the adrenal gland and in the vasculature. The adrenal response is cortical-specific and corticotropin-dependent. The vascular response occurs in the smooth muscle and is corticotropin-independent. We previously suggested that the vascular response was associated with adrenergic receptor stimulation. Herein, we report a series of experiments designed to test the hypothesis that aortic HSP70 messenger RNA (mRNA) induction occurs as a direct and specific response to alpha 1-adrenergic receptor stimulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute and chronic indwelling central venous catheter models were developed in the Wistar rat through which the following agents were infused: the alpha 1 agonist phenylephrine (0.14 mg/kg), the beta agonist isoproterenol (0.8 mg/kg), the alpha 1 antagonist prazosin (1 mg/kg), prazosin followed by phenylephrine, or saline solution alone. Hemodynamic responses were monitored; catecholamines were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography; 60 minutes after infusion, the animals were killed, and the adrenal glands and aortas were assayed for HSP70 mRNA expression on Northern blots.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alpha 1 stimulation with phenylephrine resulted in marked hypertension, a reflexive bradycardia, and marked induction of aortic HSP70 mRNA. This effect could be completely abolished when the alpha 1 antagonist prazosin was administered before phenylephrine treatment. The beta agonist isoproterenol failed to induce aortic HSP70. A significant catecholamine response only occurred after prazosin administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These studies show a functional interaction between alpha 1 receptor stimulation and vascular HSP mRNA induction.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Endocrine Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21287-5674.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Udelsman
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Stagg
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kvetnansky
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine