The β2 -adrenoceptor agonist terbutaline recovers rat pharyngeal dilator muscle force decline during severe hypoxia.
BACKGROUND
Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is a debilitating condition characterized by recurrent occlusions of the pharyngeal airway during sleep accompanied by arterial hypoxaemia. Upper airway muscle dysfunction is implicated in the pathophysiology of OSAS. Pharmacological agents that improve muscle contractile and endurance properties may have therapeutic value.


OBJECTIVE
We tested the hypothesis that the β(2) -adrenoceptor agonist terbutaline improves rat sternohyoid muscle performance especially during hypoxic stress.


METHODS
Isometric contractile and endurance properties were examined ex vivo in Krebs solution at 35°C. Muscles were incubated in tissue baths under hyperoxic (95% O(2) /5% CO(2)) conditions in the absence (control) or presence of the β(2) -adrenoceptor agonist terbutaline (1 μM). In additional experiments under hypoxic (95% N(2) /5% CO(2)) conditions, the effects of terbutaline were examined in the presence of the β-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol (1 μM).


RESULTS
Hypoxia significantly impaired sternohyoid force production. Terbutaline completely recovered hypoxic depression of force, an effect that was blocked by co-application with propranolol.


CONCLUSIONS
The β(2) -adrenoceptor agonist terbutaline completely recovers hypoxic depression of upper airway muscle force. β(2) -adrenoceptor agonists warrant investigation in animal models of OSAS reporting upper airway and diaphragm muscle dysfunction.
School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
F B
FB
McDonald
J R
JR
Skelly
K D
KD
O'Halloran
D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010609:Pharyngeal Muscles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013726:Terbutaline / Q000494:pharmacology*
D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D011433:Propranolol; D013726:Terbutaline
hypoxia; obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome; sternohyoid; β2-adrenoceptor agonist