1 The heart of several species including man contains atypical beta-adrenoceptors, in addition to coexisting beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptors. We now asked the question whether or not the third cardiac beta-adrenoceptor is identical to the putative beta(3)-adrenoceptor. We compared the properties of the third cardiac beta-adrenoceptor with those of beta(3)-adrenoceptors in isolated tissues of the rat. To study the third cardiac beta-adrenoceptor we used spontaneously beating right atria, paced left atria and paced left ventricular papillary muscles. As a likely model for putative beta(3)-adrenoceptors we studied atypical beta-adrenoceptors of the colonic longitudinal muscle precontracted with 30 mM KCl. We used beta(3)-adrenoceptor-selective agonists, antagonists and non-conventional partial agonists (ie high-affinity blockers of both beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptors known to exert also stimulant effects through beta(3)- adrenoceptors). 2 The non-conventional partial agonist (-)-CGP 12177 caused positive chronotropic effects in right atria (pD(2)=7.3) and positive inotropic effects in left atria (pD(2)=7.5). The stimulant effects of (-)-CGP 12177 were resistant to blockade by 200 nM-2 mu M (-)-propranolol and 3 mu M ICI 118551 (a beta(2)-selective antagonist) but antagonized by 1 mu M (-)-bupranolol (pK(B)=6.4-6.8), 3 mu M CGP 20712A (a beta(1)-selective antagonist) (pK(B)=6.3-6.4) and 6.6 mu M SR 59230A (a beta(3)-selective antagonist, pK(B)=5.1-5.4). 3 The non-conventional partial agonist cyanopindolol caused positive chronotropic effects in right atria (pD(2)=7.7) and positive inotropic effects in left atria (pD(2)=7.1). The stimulant effects of cyanopindolol were resistant to blockade by 200 nM (-)-propranolol but antagonized by 1 mu M (-)-bupranolol (pK(B)=6.8-7.1). 4 Neither (-)-CGP 12177 nor cyanopindolol caused stimulant effects in papillary muscles at concentrations between 0.2 nM and 20 mu M. 5 In the presence of 200 nM (-)-propranolol the beta(3)-adrenoceptor-selective agonists BRL 37344 (6 mu M), SR 58611A (6 mu M), ZD 2079 (60 mu M) and CL 316243 (60 mu M) did not cause stimulant effects or modify the potency and efficacy of the effects of (-)-CGP 12177 in right and left atria. The combination of 2 mu M (-)-propranolol and 2 mu M (-)-noradrenaline did not modify the chronotropic potency and efficacy of (-)-CGP 12177 compared to the potency and efficacy in the presence of 2 mu M (-)propranolol alone. 6 (-)-CGP 12177 relaxed the colon with a pD(2) of 6.9 and a maximum effect of 55% compared to (-)-isoprenaline. The relaxant effects of (-)-CGP 12177 were resistant to blockade by 200 nM (-)-propranolol, 3 mu M CGP 20712A, 3 mu M ICI 118551 but blocked by 2 mu M (-)-propranolol (pK(B)=6.0), 1 mu M (-)-bupranolol (pK(B)=6.4) and 3 mu M SR 59230A (pK(B)=6.3). In the presence of 200 nM (-)-propranolol, (-)-CGP 12177 (20 mu M) antagonized surmountably the relaxant effects of BRL 37344 (pK(p)=7.3), (-)-noradrenaline (pK(p)=7.0); and CL 316243 (pK(p)=7.0). 7 Cyanopindolol in the presence of 200 nM (-)-propranolol relaxed the colon with a pD(2) of 7.0 and a maximum effect of 40% compared to (-)-isoprenaline. As expected from a partial agonist, cyanopindolol antagonized the relaxant effects of both BRL 37344 and CL 316243 with a pK(p)=7.6 and (-)-noradrenaline with a pK(p)=7.4. 8 The following beta(3)-adrenoceptor-selective agonists were potent colonic relaxants (pD(2) values between parentheses): BRL 37344 (9.1), ZD 2079 (7.0), CL 316243 (9.0) and SR 58611A (8.2). The relaxant effects of these agonists were only marginally affected by 200 nM (-)-propranolol, not blocked by 3 mu M CGP 20712A or 3 mu M ICI 118551, and blocked by SR 59230A 3 mu M (pK(B)=6.9-7.5), 1 mu M (-)-bupranolol (pK(B)=6.2-6.4) and 2 mu M (-)-propranolol (pK(B)=6.3-6.5). 9 The colonic relaxation caused by the nanomolar concentrations of the beta(3)-adrenoceptor-selective agonists and the non-conventional partial agonists (-)-CGP 12177 and cyanopindolol and their relative resistance to blockade by antagonists with high affinity for beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenoceptors but blockade by the beta(3)-adrenoceptor selective SR 59230A agree with the hypothesis that the receptors involved are beta(3)-adrenoceptors. On the other hand, the failure of micromolar concentrations of beta(3)-adrenoceptor-selective agonists to produce cardiac stimulation or affect the cardiostimulant effects of (-)-CGP 12177 is inconsistent with the hypothesis that the third cardiac beta-adrenoceptor is beta(3). Additionally, the selective blockade of the colonic putative beta(3)-adrenoceptor compared to the third cardiac beta-adrenoceptor by SR 59230A, as well as the blockade of cardiac but not colonic receptors by CGP 20712A is also inconsistent with an identical putative beta(3)-adrenoceptor in colon and heart. We conclude that in the rat the third cardiac beta-adrenoceptor is different from the colonic beta(3)-adrenoceptor.
