title: Selective stimulation and blockade of beta-adrenergic receptors in the mandibular gland of the red kangaroo, Macropus rufus.
abstract: Intracarotid infusions of noradrenaline (0.15 nmol x kg(-1) x min(-1)) either alone or accompanied by phentolamine (1.5 nmol x kg(-1) x min(-1)) caused similar-sized increases in salivary protein, magnesium and bicarbonate, and decreases in osmolality, sodium, potassium and chloride whereas intravenous noradrenaline stimulated much smaller responses. Concurrent infusions of the beta1-antagonist, CGP20712A, blocked these noradrenaline-induced changes in salivary composition more effectively than equimolar infusions of the beta2-antagonist, ICI118551, thereby confirming the presence of beta1-adrenoceptors. Intracarotid infusion of salbutamol at 0.15, 0.3 and 1.5 nmol x kg(-1) x min(-1) caused increasing but qualitatively similar changes in salivary composition, sodium excepted, to intracarotid noradrenaline with 0.3 nmol being most similar quantitatively. Intravenous infusion of salbutamol caused larger changes in salivary composition than equimolar intravenous noradrenaline thereby indicating that the response to salbutamol may, in part, be mediated by reflex increases in general sympathetic tone triggered by lowered blood pressure. Eliminating this hypotensive effect by concurrent intravenous and intracarotid infusions of beta1-(CGP or atenolol) and beta2-(ICII18551) antagonists with intracarotid salbutamol showed that IC1118551 was more potent than the beta1-antagonists thereby demonstrating the presence of beta2-receptors. It was concluded that the kangaroo mandibular has functional beta1- and beta2-adrenoceptor subtypes in both endpieces and excurrent ducts and that the duct system has two populations of cells, each expressing one receptor subtype.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. m.beal@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Beal
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000420:Albuterol / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D007614:Macropodidae / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D018342:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D004573:Electrolytes; D018342:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; D014508:Urea; D000420:Albuterol; D009638:Norepinephrine