Upregulation of β3-adrenoceptors-a general marker of and protective mechanism against hypoxia?

β3-Adrenoceptors exhibit a restricted expression pattern, particularly in humans. However, they have been found to be upregulated in various cancers and under several conditions associated with hypoperfusion such as congestive heart failure and diabetes for instance in the heart and other tissues. These conditions are frequently associated with hypoxia. Furthermore, direct induction of hypoxia has consistently been reported to cause upregulation of β3-adrenoceptors across various tissues of multiple species including humans, rats, dogs, and fish. While a canonical hypoxia-response element in the promoter of the human β3-adrenoceptor gene may play a role in this, no such sequence was found in rodent homologs. Moreover, not all upregulation of β3-adrenoceptor protein is accompanied by increased expression of corresponding mRNA, indicating that the upregulation may involve factors other than transcriptional changes. We propose that upregulation of β3-adrenoceptors at the mRNA and/or protein level is a general marker of hypoxic conditions. Moreover, it may be an additional pathway whereby cells and tissues adapt to reduced oxygen levels

Nebivolol prevents desensitization of β-adrenoceptor signaling and induction of cardiac hypertrophy in response to isoprenaline beyond β1-adrenoceptor blockage.

The importance of chronic stimulation of β-adrenoceptors in the development of cardiac dysfunction is the rationale for the use of β-blockers in the treatment of heart failure. Nebivolol is a third-generation β-blocker, which has further properties including stimulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and/or β3-adrenoceptors. The aim of this study was to investigate whether nebivolol has additional effects on β-adrenoceptor-mediated functional responses along with morphologic and molecular determinants of cardiac hypertrophy compared with those of metoprolol, a selective β1-adrenoceptor blocker. Rats infused by isoprenaline (100 μg·kg(-1)·day(-1), 14 days) were randomized into three groups according to the treatment with metoprolol (30 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1)), nebivolol (10 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1)), or placebo for 13 days starting on day 1 after implantation of minipump. Both metoprolol and nebivolol caused a similar reduction on heart rate. Nebivolol mediated a significant improvement on cardiac mass, coronary flow, mRNA expression levels of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase (SERCA2a) and atrial natriuretic peptide and phospholamban (PLN)/SERCA2a and phospho-PLN/PLN ratio compared with metoprolol and placebo. Nebivolol prevented the detrimental effects of isoprenaline infusion on isoprenaline (68% of control at 30 μM), BRL37344 (63% of control at 0.1 μM), and forskolin (64% of control at 1 μM) responses compared with metoprolol (isoprenaline, 34% of control; BRL37344, no response; forskolin, 26% of control) and placebo (isoprenaline, 33% of control; BRL37344, 28% of control; forskolin, 12% of control). Both β-blockers improved the changes in mRNA expressions of β1- and β3-adrenoceptors. Our results suggest that nebivolol partially protects the responsiveness of β-adrenoceptor signaling and the development of cardiac hypertrophy independent of its β1-adrenoceptor blocking effect

Onset of Depressed Heart Work is Correlated with the Increased Heart Rate and Shorten QT-Interval in High-Carbohydrate Fed Overweight Rats

Mechanical activity of the heart is adversely affected with metabolic syndrome (MetS) characterized with increased body-mass and marked insulin-resistance. Herein, we examined effects of high-carbohydrate intake on cardiac functional abnormalities via evaluating in situ heart-work, heart-rate and electrocardiograms (ECG) in rats. MetS is induced in Wistar male rats by adding 32% sucrose for 22-24 weeks and confirmed with insulin-resistance, increased body-weight, blood glucose and insulin, systolic and diastolic blood pressures besides significant left ventricular integrity-lost and increased connective-tissue around myofibrils. Analysis of in situ ECG-recordings showed markedly shorten QT-interval and depressed QRP with increased heart-rate. We also observed augmented oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant defense characterized with decreases in serum total thiol-level and attenuated paraoxonase and arylesterase activities. Our data clearly indicate that increased heart-rate and shortened QT-interval concomitant with higher left ventricular developed pressure responses to β-adrenoreceptor stimulation as a result of less cAMP-release could be regarded as natural compensation mechanisms in overweight MetS rats. Since MetS leads further to persistent insulin-resistance and obesity, one should get into consideration these important facts associated with onset of the depressed heart-work, the increased heart-rate and shorten QT-interval in high-carbohydrate intake, which will possible lead to more deleterious effects on mammalian heart.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Analysis of 16 studies in nine rodent models does not support the hypothesis that diabetic polyuria is a main reason of urinary bladder enlargement

The urinary bladder is markedly enlarged in the type 1 diabetes mellitus model of streptozotocin-injected rats, which may contribute to the frequent diabetic uropathy. Much less data exists for models of type 2 diabetes. Diabetic polyuria has been proposed as the pathophysiological mechanism behind bladder enlargement. Therefore, we explored such a relationship across nine distinct rodent models of diabetes including seven models of type 2 diabetes/obesity by collecting data on bladder weight and blood glucose from 16 studies with 2-8 arms each; some studies included arms with various diets and/or pharmacological treatments. Data were analysed for bladder enlargement and for correlations between bladder weight on the one and glucose levels on the other hand. Our data confirm major bladder enlargement in streptozotocin rats and minor if any enlargement in fructose-fed rats, db/db mice and mice on a high-fat diet; enlargement was present in some of five not reported previously models. Bladder weight was correlated with blood glucose as a proxy for diabetic polyuria within some but not other models, but correlations were moderate to weak except for RIP-LCMV mice (r(2) of pooled data from all studies 0.0621). Insulin levels also failed to correlate to a meaningful extent. Various diets and medications (elafibranor, empagliflozin, linagliptin, semaglutide) had heterogeneous effects on bladder weight that often did not match their effects on glucose levels. We conclude that the presence and extent of bladder enlargement vary markedly across diabetes models, particularly type 2 diabetes models; our data do not support the idea that bladder enlargement is primarily driven by glucose levels/glucosuria