A large number of β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) agonists and antagonists are widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and other diseases. Nonetheless, it remains unclear whether these commonly used β-AR drugs can activate downstream β- arrestin-biased signaling pathways. The objective of this study was to investigate β-arrestin2 recruitment effects of β-AR agonists and antagonists that were commonly used in clinical practice. We used TANGO (transcriptional activation following arrestin translocation) assay to detect the β-arrestin2 recruitment by β-AR ligands in HEK293 cell line (HTLA cells) stably transfected with tetracycline transactivator protein (tTA) dependent luciferase reporter and β-arrestin2-TEV fusion gene. Upon activation of β-AR by a β-AR ligand, β-arrestin2 was recruited to the C terminus of the receptor, followed by cleavage of the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) fusion protein at the TEV protease-cleavage site. The cleavage resulted in the release of tTA, which, after being transported to the nucleus, activated transcription of the luciferase reporter gene. The results showed that β-AR non-selective agonists epinephrine, noradrenaline and isoprenaline all promoted β-arrestin2 recruitment at β1-AR and β2-AR. β1-AR selective agonists dobutamine and denopamine both promoted β-arrestin2 recruitment at β1-AR. β2-AR selective agonists procaterol and salbutamol promoted β-arrestin2 recruitment at β2-AR. β-AR non-selective antagonists alprenolol and pindolol promoted β-arrestin2 recruitment at β1-AR. β1-AR selective antagonists celiprolol and bevantolol showed β-arrestin2 recruitment at β1-AR. β2-AR selective antagonists butoxamine showed β-arrestin2 recruitment at β1-AR. These results provide some clues for the potential action of β-AR drugs, and lay a foundation for the screening of β-arrestin-biased β-AR ligands.
Humans ; beta-Arrestin 2/metabolism* ; HEK293 Cells ; Adrenergic beta-Agonists/pharmacology* ; Isoproterenol/pharmacology* ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/metabolism* ; Norepinephrine/pharmacology*

Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists ; pharmacology ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Chloroquine ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds ; pharmacology ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 ; metabolism ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; agonists ; metabolism ; Receptors, Interleukin-4 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Respiratory System ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiopathology

The effects of glucagon and epinephrine on gluconeogenesis in young (4 month) and old (24 month) Fisher 344 rat hepatocytes were compared. In contrast to glucagon, which had a similar effect on gluconeogenesis in both young and old cells, epinephrine caused a smaller increase in gluconeogenesis in old rat hepatocytes than in young hepatocytes. beta2 adrenergic receptor (beta2-AR) expression slightly decreased in aged rat liver, and there were differences between young and old hepatocytes in their patterns of G protein coupled receptor kinases, which are involved in the activation of beta2-AR receptor signal desensitization. The major isoform of the kinase changed from GRK2 to GRK3 and the expression of beta-arrestin, which is recruited by the phosphorylated beta2-AR for internalization and degradation, increased in aged rat liver. GRK3 overexpression also decreased the glucose output from young rat hepatocytes. We conclude that an age-associated reduction in epinephrine-induced gluconeogenesis occurs through the epinephrine receptor desensitizing system.
Adrenergic beta-Agonists/*pharmacology ; Aging/*drug effects ; Animals ; Epinephrine/*pharmacology ; G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2/metabolism ; G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 3/metabolism ; Glucagon/pharmacology ; *Gluconeogenesis/drug effects ; Male ; Models, Biological ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred F344 ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/agonists/metabolism

The effects of glucagon and epinephrine on gluconeogenesis in young (4 month) and old (24 month) Fisher 344 rat hepatocytes were compared. In contrast to glucagon, which had a similar effect on gluconeogenesis in both young and old cells, epinephrine caused a smaller increase in gluconeogenesis in old rat hepatocytes than in young hepatocytes. beta2 adrenergic receptor (beta2-AR) expression slightly decreased in aged rat liver, and there were differences between young and old hepatocytes in their patterns of G protein coupled receptor kinases, which are involved in the activation of beta2-AR receptor signal desensitization. The major isoform of the kinase changed from GRK2 to GRK3 and the expression of beta-arrestin, which is recruited by the phosphorylated beta2-AR for internalization and degradation, increased in aged rat liver. GRK3 overexpression also decreased the glucose output from young rat hepatocytes. We conclude that an age-associated reduction in epinephrine-induced gluconeogenesis occurs through the epinephrine receptor desensitizing system.
Adrenergic beta-Agonists/*pharmacology ; Aging/*drug effects ; Animals ; Epinephrine/*pharmacology ; G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2/metabolism ; G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 3/metabolism ; Glucagon/pharmacology ; *Gluconeogenesis/drug effects ; Male ; Models, Biological ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred F344 ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/agonists/metabolism

There is evidence that the myocytes produce dynorphin and dynorphin-like peptides, which are kappa opioid receptor (kappa-OR) agonists. Activation of kappa-OR, a dominant opioid receptor in the heart, alters the cardiac function in vivo and in vitro. The observations suggest that the endogenous kappa-opioid peptides may act as autocrines or paracrine in regulation of cardiac functions. Myocardial ischemia is a common cause of heart disorders, which is manifested in decreased myocardial performance, arrhythmia and infarct. When myocardial ischemia occurs, the sympathetic discharge increases, which in turn increases the work-load and oxygen consumption. This exacerbates the situation induced by ischemia. One of the mechanisms with which the body protects against ischemia-induced injury/arrhythmia is inhibition of stimulation of beta-adrenoceptor (beta-AR), the receptor mediating the actions of sympathetic stimulation. kappa-Opioids inhibit the beta-AR activation. The inhibition of the beta-AR activation is due to inhibition of Gs-protein and to a lesser extent the adenylyl cyclase of the signaling pathway mediating beta-AR stimulation by a pertussis sensitive G-protein that mediates kappa-OR activation. Another mechanism against ischemia-induced injury is preconditioning, which is defined as prior exposures to ischemia or other insults make the heart more tolerant to subsequent and more severe insults. Protection occurs immediately or 1-3 days after preconditioning. kappa-OR mediates protection of preconditioning with ischemia or metabolic inhibition, one of the consequences of ischemia, in the heart. Activation of kappa-OR by U50488H, a selective kappa-OR agonist (pharmacological preconditioning with U50488H, UP), activates protein kinase C (PKC), opens K(ATP) channels and increases the production of heat shock proteins. Blockade of PKC, or closing of the K(ATP) channels or inhibition of the synthesis of the heat shock protein abolishes the cardioprotection of UP. The findings indicate the important roles of PKC, the K(ATP) channels and the heat shock protein in cardioprotection of UP. In addition, UP also attenuates the Ca(2+) overload, a precipitating cause of cardiac injury, induced by ischemic insults, indicating that UP may confer cardioprotection via at least partly attenuating the Ca(2+) overload. Most interestingly, blockade of the K(ATP) channels with channel blockers, that abolishes the delayed cardioprotection of UP, also attenuates the inhibitory effect of UP on Ca(2+) overload, suggesting that the cardioprotective effect of opening of the K(ATP) channels may be due at least partly to the prevention/attenuation of Ca(2+) overload.
3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer ; pharmacology ; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cardiotonic Agents ; Humans ; Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial ; Myocardial Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; prevention & control ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta ; physiology ; Receptors, Opioid, kappa ; agonists ; physiology ; Signal Transduction