title: Cell-density-dependent expression of the beta-adrenergic response by epidermal growth factor (EGF) in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes.
abstract: The effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and cell density on the appearance of beta-adrenergic responses were examined in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes. The beta-adrenergic response was measured as the ability to accumulate cAMP by beta 2-agonist metaproterenol in monolayers that had been cultured without or with 20 ng/ml EGF. Hepatocytes cultured with EGF at a high cell density (1.0 x 10(5) cells/cm2) showed a relatively lower response to 10 microM metaproterenol. In contrast, when cultured at a low cell density (3.3 x 10(4) cells/cm2) with EGF, the cells showed a higher response to the beta-adrenergic agonist. These responses were blocked by the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol (10 microM). The beta-adrenergic response increased rapidly with culture time. The addition of cycloheximide (5 microM) to the culture abolished the expression of beta-adrenergic response. The enhanced beta-adrenergic response by 20 ng/ml EGF was partially inhibited by the addition of cytochalasin B (20 microM) to the culture. The cAMP-producing response to metaproterenol (10 microM) was dose-dependently inhibited by the specific x2-agonist UK-14304. Pretreatment of the hepatocytes with pertussis toxin (100 ng/ml) potentiated the beta-adrenergic response. These results demonstrate that augmented beta-adrenergic responsiveness can be acquired by adult rat hepatocytes cultured with 20 ng/ml EGF at a low cell density, and the beta-adrenergic response involves de novo synthesis of protein(s). The results also show that significant alpha 2- and beta-adrenergic responses coexist in the primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes.
authors: Biochemical Pharmacology Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, Saitama, Japan.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ogihara
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000068438:Brimonidine Tartrate; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009921:Metaproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D011810:Quinoxalines; D000068438:Brimonidine Tartrate; D009921:Metaproterenol; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D003513:Cycloheximide; D000242:Cyclic AMP