Endothelial beta3-adrenoceptors mediate vasorelaxation of human coronary microarteries through nitric oxide and endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization.
BACKGROUND
Coronary vessel tone is modulated in part by beta-adrenergic relaxation. However, the implication of specific beta-adrenoceptor subtypes and their downstream vasorelaxing mechanism(s) in human coronary resistance arteries is poorly defined. beta3-Adrenoceptors were recently shown to vasodilate animal vessels and are expressed in human hearts.


RESULTS
We examined the expression and functional role of beta3-adrenoceptors in human coronary microarteries and their coupling to vasodilating nitric oxide (NO) and/or hyperpolarization mechanisms. The expression of beta3-adrenoceptor mRNA and protein was demonstrated in extracts of human coronary microarteries. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed their exclusive localization in the endothelium, with no staining of vascular smooth muscle. In contractility experiments in which videomicroscopy was used, the nonspecific beta-agonist isoproterenol and the beta3-preferential agonist BRL37344 evoked an approximately 50% relaxation of endothelin-1-preconstricted human coronary microarteries. Relaxations were blocked by the beta1/beta2/beta3-adrenoceptor antagonist bupranolol but were insensitive to the beta1/beta2-adrenoceptor antagonist nadolol, confirming a beta3-adrenoceptor-mediated pathway. Relaxation in response to BRL37344 was absent in human coronary microarteries devoid of functional endothelium. When human coronary microarteries were precontracted with KCl (thereby preventing vessel hyperpolarization), the relaxation to BRL37344 was reduced to 15.5% and totally abrogated by the NO synthase inhibitor L-omega-nitroarginine, confirming the participation of a NO synthase-mediated relaxation. The NO synthase-independent relaxation was completely inhibited by the Ca2+-activated K+ channel inhibitors apamin and charybdotoxin, consistent with an additional endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor-like response. Accordingly, membrane potential recordings demonstrated vessel hyperpolarization in response to beta3-adrenoceptor stimulation.


CONCLUSIONS
Beta3-adrenoceptors are expressed in the endothelium of human coronary resistance arteries and mediate adrenergic vasodilatation through both NO and vessel hyperpolarization.
Unit of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Saint-Luc University Clinic and Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
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Dessy
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Moniotte
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Ghisdal
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Havaux
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Noirhomme
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Balligand
D000293:Adolescent; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001030:Apamin / Q000494:pharmacology; D001160:Arterioles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002046:Bupranolol / Q000494:pharmacology; D018999:Charybdotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018715:Microscopy, Video; D008875:Middle Aged; D009248:Nadolol / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D019335:Nitroarginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018342:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1 / Q000187:drug effects; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / Q000187:drug effects; D022702:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D004983:Ethanolamines; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018342:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2; D022702:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3; D018999:Charybdotoxin; D019335:Nitroarginine; D001030:Apamin; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D009248:Nadolol; C057368:BRL 37344; D002046:Bupranolol; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D007545:Isoproterenol