title: Localisation and expression of beta-adrenoceptor subtype mRNAs in human lung.
abstract: The cellular localisation and distribution of mRNAs encoding beta-adrenoceptor subtypes in human lung were studied by in situ hybridisation and Northern blot analysis. The 851-bp SmaI/PvuII fragment of human beta 1-adrenoceptor cDNA, the 439-bp SmaI fragment of human beta 2-adrenoceptor cDNA and the 975-bp SmaI fragment of human beta 3-adrenoceptor cDNA bound to single mRNA species of approximately 3.2 kb, 2.2 kb and 2.3 kb in size, respectively. Human lung and heart and rabbit lung expressed both beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptor mRNAs with no detectable level of beta 3-adrenoceptor mRNA, while rabbit perirenal adipose tissue expressed beta 1-, beta 2- and beta 3-adrenoceptor mRNAs. Cultured human airway epithelial cells and airway smooth muscle cells expressed only beta 2-adrenoceptor mRNA. In situ hybridisation in human lung, using 35S-labelled antisense RNA probes revealed a high level of expression of beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptor mRNAs in the pulmonary blood vessels, high level of expression of beta 2-adrenoceptor mRNA in the alveolar walls with less expression of beta 1-adrenoceptor mRNA. There was a moderate expression of beta 2-adrenoceptor but not beta 1-adrenoceptor mRNA in airway epithelium and smooth muscle of peripheral airways and no detectable beta 3-adrenoceptor mRNA in any lung structures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, St. Thomas Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hirst
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Twort
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Barnes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta