ABSTRACT
To determine the regulatory effect of ? opioid receptor stimulation on ? adrenoceptor signaling and its underlying mechanism, single ventricular myocytes were isolated from the heart of rat subjected to chronic hypoxia for 4 weeks. The electrically induced [Ca 2+ ] i transient were measured using a spectrofluorometric method. RT PCR was used to determine the mRNA of ? opioid receptor, and Western blot was used to determine the Gi and Gs protein. ? adrenoceptor stimulation with isoproterenol increased the amplitude of the electrically induced [Ca 2+ ] i transient in myocytes of normoxic rats. U50488H, a selective ? opioid receptor agonist, significantly inhibited the effect of isoproterenol. In the heart of chronically hypoxic rats, the inhibition of U50488H was blunted. RT PCR revealed no significant change in mRNA of ? opioid receptor. Western blot showed no change in Gi protein. While biologically active Gs small protein decreased significantly. The results indicate that the negative modulation of ? opioid receptor on ? adrenoceptor is attenuated in the heart of chronically hypoxic rat. The decrease in Gs protein may be partially responsible for the attenuation.