Regulation of beta-adrenoceptor properties and the lipid milieu in heart muscle membranes during stress

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in fatty acyl chain composition of major cardiac phospholipids in relation to down-regulation of beta-adrenoceptors during various forms of stress or chronic adrenergic stimulation. Analysis of the fatty acid profile of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in sarcolemma or cardiac muscle membranes showed partial replacement of 18:2n-6 by 20:4n-6 in PC and replacement of both 18:2n-6 and 20:4n-6 by 22:6n-3 in PE during daily administration of epinephrine or norepinephrine for 7 or 15 days, respectively These changes in membrane PC and PE coincided with down-regulation or the decrease in Bmax of beta-adrenoceptors during adrenergic stimulation. Cardiac membrane response to other forms of stress or chronic adrenergic stimulation such as neonatal stress, restriction stress or restricted food intake was expressed in the same way, that is replacement of 18:2n-6 by 20:4n-6 in PC and replacement of 18:2n-6 and 20:4n-6 by 22:6n-3 in PE. Conclusion: Adaptation to stress includes a decrease in the density of binding sites or down-regulation of beta-adrenoceptors in sarcolemma synchronized with specific alterations in the fatty acyl chain composition within the membrane bilayer. The changes in the lipid milieu of the membrane may facilitate conformational changes in the transmembrane segment of the receptor forming the ligand binding sites of the beta-adrenoceptor.