title: alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated negative inotropy of adrenaline in rat myocardium.
abstract: 1. The effect of alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor stimulation on isotonic contraction was investigated on right ventricular papillary muscles of the rat, stimulated at a rate of 0.5 Hz. 2. Adrenaline (0.5 microM) induced a slight but significant negative inotropic effect: shortening decreased from 0.137 +/- 0.058 to 0.122 +/- 0.059 muscle lengths (mean +/- S.D.; -11%, P < 0.0001) and maximum shortening velocity from 2.9 +/- 1.2 to 2.7 +/- 1.3 muscle lengths s-1 (-7%, P < 0.025). 3. The negative inotropic effect of adrenaline was enhanced after blocking the beta-adrenoceptors with 50 microM atenolol. On the other hand, exposure to adrenaline after blocking the alpha-adrenoceptors with 50 microM phentolamine resulted in an increase in shortening as well as in maximum shortening velocity. 4. Stimulation of the beta-adrenoceptors with 0.5 microM isoprenaline caused marked positive inotropic effects, whereas stimulation of the alpha 1-adrenoceptors with 0.5 microM phenylephrine regularly resulted in a long-lasting decrease in shortening and maximum shortening velocity. 5. 1,2-Dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol (1,2-DOG) and adrenaline induced an activation of protein kinase C (PKC) with translocation of this enzyme from the cytosol to the sarcolemma. 6. Activation of PKC with 10 microM 1,2-DOG and 0.5 microM adrenaline was accompanied by a decrease in shortening and maximum shortening velocity. Inhibition of PKC with 0.1 microM staurosporine abolished the negative inotropic effect of adrenaline. 7. From these results we conclude that a low dose of adrenaline stimulates not only beta-but also alpha-adrenoceptors and that the observed negative inotropic effect of adrenaline is mediated by alpha 1-adrenoceptors, linked to the diacylglycerol-PKC signal transduction pathway.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, University of Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kissling
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blickle
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pascht
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gulbins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; D004837:Epinephrine