Targeted disruption of the beta2 adrenergic receptor gene.

beta-Adrenergic receptors (beta-ARs) are members of the superfamily of G-protein-coupled receptors that mediate the effects of catecholamines in the sympathetic nervous system. Three distinct beta-AR subtypes have been identified (beta1-AR, beta2-AR, and beta3-AR). In order to define further the role of the different beta-AR subtypes, we have used gene targeting to inactivate selectively the beta2-AR gene in mice. Based on intercrosses of heterozygous knockout (beta2-AR +/-) mice, there is no prenatal lethality associated with this mutation. Adult knockout mice (beta2-AR -/-) appear grossly normal and are fertile. Their resting heart rate and blood pressure are normal, and they have a normal chronotropic response to the beta-AR agonist isoproterenol. The hypotensive response to isoproterenol, however, is significantly blunted compared with wild type mice. Despite this defect in vasodilation, beta2-AR -/- mice can still exercise normally and actually have a greater total exercise capacity than wild type mice. At comparable workloads, beta2-AR -/- mice had a lower respiratory exchange ratio than wild type mice suggesting a difference in energy metabolism. beta2-AR -/- mice become hypertensive during exercise and exhibit a greater hypertensive response to epinephrine compared with wild type mice. In summary, the primary physiologic consequences of the beta2-AR gene disruption are observed only during the stress of exercise and are the result of alterations in both vascular tone and energy metabolism.

Phospholamban deficiency does not compromise exercise capacity.

Deficiency of phospholamban (PLB) results in enhancement of basal murine cardiac function and an attenuated response to beta-adrenergic stimulation. To determine whether the absence of PLB also reduces the reserve capacity of the murine cardiovascular system to respond to stress, we evaluated the heart rate (HR), blood pressure, and metabolic responses of PLB-deficient (PLB-/-) mice to graded treadmill exercise (GTE). PLB-/- mice were hypertensive at rest (125 +/- 19 vs. 109 +/- 16 mmHg, P < 0.05) but had normal tachycardic and hypotensive responses to isoproterenol. The HR response to GTE was normal; however, the hypertension in PLB-/- mice normalized at peak exercise. Their exercise capacities, as measured by duration of exercise and peak oxygen consumption (VO2), were normal. The oxygen pulse (VO2/HR) curve was also normal in PLB-/- mice, suggesting an ability to appropriately increase stroke volume and oxygen extraction during GTE, despite an inability to increase beta-adrenergically stimulated cardiac contractility. Thus deficiency of PLB, although resulting in diminished beta-adrenergic inotropic reserve, does not compromise cardiac performance during exercise.

Alterations in dynamic heart rate control in the beta 1-adrenergic receptor knockout mouse.

beta 1-Adrenergic receptors (beta 1-ARs) are key targets of sympathetic nervous system activity and play a major role in the beat-to-beat regulation of cardiac chronotropy and inotropy. We employed a beta 1-AR gene knockout model to test the hypothesis that beta 1-AR function is critical for maintenance of resting heart rate and baroreflex responsiveness and, on the basis of its important role in regulating chronotropy and inotropy, is also required for maximal exercise capacity. Using an awake unrestrained mouse model, we demonstrate that resting heart rate and blood pressure are normal in beta 1-AR knockouts and that the qualitative responses to baroreflex stimulation are intact. Chronotropic reserve in beta 1-AR knockouts is markedly limited, with peak heart rates approximately 200 beats/min less than wild types. During graded treadmill exercise, heart rate is significantly depressed in beta 1-AR knockouts at all work loads, but despite this limitation, there are no reductions in maximal exercise capacity or metabolic indexes. Thus, in mice, the beta 1-AR is not essential for either maintenance of resting heart rate or for maximally stressed cardiovascular performance.

Cardiovascular indexes in the mouse at rest and with exercise: new tools to study models of cardiac disease.

Manipulations of the murine genome that alter cardiovascular function have created the need for methods to study cardiovascular physiology in genetically altered animals in vivo. We adapted chronic physiological measurement techniques to the nonanesthetized, nonrestrained murine model, established strain-specific cardiovascular and metabolic norms, and evaluated responses to anesthesia, exercise, and adrenergic stimulation. Anesthesia resulted in alterations in heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), and O2 consumption (V(O2)) and CO2 production (V(CO2)) for up to 6 h postoperatively. There were significant interstrain differences in resting values of HR and BP Graded treadmill exercise resulted in linear increases in HR, V(O2), V(CO2), and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) similar to those seen in larger species. Response to beta-adrenergic stimulation showed a classic sigmoidal dose-response curve; however, there was very little tachycardiac response to vagal blockade, indicating low resting vagal tone. This study demonstrates the feasibility of performing chronic cardiovascular measurements in nonanesthetized mice and stresses the importance of allowing for anesthetic recovery and strain variability. Murine cardiovascular responses to exercise can be reliably measured and are qualitatively similar to those in humans.

Targeted disruption of the mouse beta1-adrenergic receptor gene: developmental and cardiovascular effects.

At least three distinct beta-adrenergic receptor (beta-AR) subtypes exist in mammals. These receptors modulate a wide variety of processes, from development and behavior, to cardiac function, metabolism, and smooth muscle tone. To understand the roles that individual beta-AR subtypes play in these processes, we have used the technique of gene targeting to create homozygous beta 1-AR null mutants (beta 1-AR -/-) in mice. The majority of beta 1-AR -/- mice die prenatally, and the penetrance of lethality shows strain dependence. Beta l-AR -/- mice that do survive to adulthood appear normal, but lack the chronotropic and inotropic responses seen in wild-type mice when beta-AR agonists such as isoproterenol are administered. Moreover, this lack of responsiveness is accompanied by markedly reduced stimulation of adenylate cyclase in cardiac membranes from beta 1-AR -/- mice. These findings occur despite persistent cardiac beta 2-AR expression, demonstrating the importance of beta 1-ARs for proper mouse development and cardiac function, while highlighting functional differences between beta-AR subtypes.

Colchicine and cytochalasin B enhance cyclic AMP accumulation via postreceptor actions.

The role of cytoskeletal microtubules and microfilaments in modulating cAMP generation in S49 lymphoma cells was investigated using the agents colchicine and cytochalasin B, respectively, which are known to disrupt these structures. A 1-hr pretreatment of S49 cells with 10 microM colchicine typically enhanced maximal isoproterenol-(beta-adrenergic receptor) stimulated cAMP accumulation by 100%, whereas cytochalasin B increased isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP by 30%. The combination of colchicine and cytochalasin B synergistically enhanced agonist-stimulated cAMP to 225% over control values. A synergistic increase in cAMP accumulation was also observed in cells treated with the agonist prostaglandin E1 or cholera toxin (which activates the stimulatory guanine nucleotide regulatory (Gs) protein). Colchicine and cytochalasin B did not ablate the inhibitory effects of somatostatin or the stimulatory effect of pertussis toxin treatment on beta-receptor-stimulated cAMP accumulation, indicating that these cytoskeletal disrupting agents do not enhance responsiveness in S49 cells via alterations in the inhibitory guanine nucleotide regulatory protein pathway. Moreover, colchicine, but not cytochalasin B treatment, enhances expression of isoproterenol-promoted 3H-forskolin binding in intact cells (a measure of Gs/adenylyl cyclase coupling). Thus, colchicine and cytochalasin B appear to enhance signaling in the Gs/adenylyl cyclase pathway by alterations of components distal to hormone receptors, most likely at the Gs protein and/or via cAMP generation. These results imply that microtubules and microfilaments can interact in the regulation of this pathway and that increases in cellular cAMP may contribute to the action of drugs that alter function of these cytoskeletal elements.