Species and strain-related differences in the expression and functionality of beta-adrenoceptor subtypes in adipose tissue.

The beta-adrenoceptor subtypes which trigger lipolysis in white adipocytes vary markedly between calf and rats, and even between different rat strains. In calf adipocytes, CGP12177, a potent antagonist for beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors (i.e., "classical beta-adrenoceptors") and a partial agonist for atypical beta-adrenoceptors, did not stimulate lipolysis, but inhibited with high affinity (IC50 = 0.66 nM) the lipolytic response to 10 nM isoproterenol. In adipocytes from both Wistar rats and Sprague-Dawley OFA rats, CGP12177 stimulated lipolysis to almost the same extent as isoproterenol. Low concentrations of CGP12177 (3 nM) inhibited part of the lipolytic response to 10 nM isoproterenol in the Sprague-Dawley OFA rat adipocytes, but not in Wistar rats at all ages tested (2-4 weeks, 2-4 months, 24-26 months). Hence, functional beta-adrenoceptors are only classical in calf adipocytes, only atypical in Wistar rat adipocytes and both classical and atypical in Sprague-Dawley OFA rat adipocytes. Binding experiments were performed with 150 pM [125I]CYP. On calf adipocyte membranes, competition binding curves with CGP12177 displayed one high affinity binding site (IC50 = 4.7 nM), whereas the curves for CGP20712 (beta 1-selective antagonist) and ICI118551 (beta 2-selective antagonist) were biphasic. In agreement with the functional data, these results indicate that only beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors are present in calf adipose tissue. For both rat strains, only half of the displaceable [125I]CYP binding sites displayed high affinity for CGP12177 (IC50 = 6.8 to 7.5 nM), and competition binding studies with CGP20712 and ICI118551 indicated that they represent beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors. The remaining [125I]CYP binding sites possessed an about 50 times lower affinity for CGP12177 (IC50 = 260 to 345 nM). They are likely to represent atypical beta-adrenoceptors. It is concluded that the presence and the physiological relevance of beta-adrenoceptor subtypes in adipose tissue may not only be species-related, but also strain-related.

Isoproterenol and selective agonists stimulate similar atypical beta-adrenoceptors in rat adipocytes.

We have demonstrated previously that (-)isoproterenol triggers lipolysis in rat epididymal fat cells by stimulating both classical (beta 1, beta 2) and atypical beta-adrenoceptors. The contribution of the classical beta-adrenoceptors can be blocked by addition of 3 nM CGP12177(di-4-3[(1,1-dimethylethyl)amino]-(2-hydroxylpropoxy )1,3-dihydro-2H-benzimidazol-2-one hydrochloride). At higher concentrations, CGP12177 triggers lipolysis also, but by stimulating atypical beta-adrenoceptors only. To find out whether (-)isoproterenol and CGP12177 stimulate similar atypical beta-adrenoceptors, we compared their interaction with recognised beta 3-adrenoceptor antagonists: CGP20712 (1-[2-((3-carbamoyl-4-hydroxy)phenoxy)ethylamino]-3-[4-(1-methyl- 4-trifluoromethyl-2-imidazolyl)phenoxy]-propan-2-ol) (beta 1-selective), ICI118551 [erythro-1-(7-methylindan-4-yloxy)-3- (isopropylamine)-butan-2-ol] (beta 2-selective) and the stereoisomers as well as the racemic mixture of propranolol (non-beta 1/beta 2-subtype selective) and of metoprolol (beta 1-selective). There was a highly significant relationship (r = 0.93) between the potencies of these antagonists for inhibiting the lipolytic response to (-)isoproterenol (in the absence of classical beta-adrenoceptor stimulation) and CGP12177. In both cases, propranolol and metoprolol showed also the same degree of stereoselectivity. These findings suggest that (-)isoproterenol and CGP12177 stimulate the same type and/or form of atypical beta-adrenoceptors in rat epididymal adipocytes.

Multiple beta adrenergic receptor subclasses mediate the l-isoproterenol-induced lipolytic response in rat adipocytes.

l-Isoproterenol has been proposed to stimulate lipolysis in rat epididymal adipocytes via atypical beta adrenergic receptors, whereas radioligand binding studies only revealed the presence of beta 1 adrenergic receptors on adipocyte membranes. We have made use of the unique properties of CGP12177 to evidence that both the beta 1 and the atypical beta adrenergic receptor subtypes are mediating the lipolytic response of rat epididymal adipocytes to l-isoproterenol. CGP12177, an antagonist with high affinity for beta 1 receptors, triggers lipolysis by specifically stimulating the atypical receptors. For this response, CGP12177 displays low potency (EC50 = 68 nM), but high intrinsic activity (94% relative to l-isoproterenol). At low concentrations (3 nM), CGP12177 inhibits the lipolytic response to 10 nM l-isoproterenol by 43%, indicating that at least this fraction of the response is beta 1 receptor-mediated. The response to BRL37344, which is a selective agonist for the atypical receptors, is not inhibited by CGP12177. The pA2 values of the beta adrenergic antagonists propranolol, metoprolol and atenolol were calculated from the rightward shifts that they impose on dose-response curves of both l-isoproterenol and CGP12177. With l-isoproterenol, these values (6.54, 5.83 and 5.07, respectively) are lower than those expected for beta 1 and beta 2 receptors, indicating that atypical receptors are also involved in the lipolytic response to this agonist. With CGP12177, the pA2 values of propranolol, metoprolol and atenolol are even lower (5.80, 5.03 and 4.06, respectively), and are likely to be a more accurate reflection of their affinities for the atypical receptors.

Improved ATP methodology for biomass assays.

ATP methodology needs to be further standardized and improved in order to avoid the pitfalls that have sometimes hampered its application to biomass assays. The following steps have been reconsidered as far as the bacteriological applications is concerned: (a) destruction of free and somatic ATP: replacement of apyrase by mammalian ATPase, more readily accessible to specific inhibition; (b) extraction of bacterial ATP: protection of luciferase by lipids against inhibitory effect of cationic detergents with production of a constant light response. New methods are proposed for the calibration of luminometers and for the matching of sample holders in multichannel instruments. The limit of sensitivity of ATP assays is discussed in the light of currently available reagents and instruments.