Gene expression of α1A-adrenoceptor but not α1B-adrenoceptor in cultured myoblast C2C12 cells of mice

Subtypes of alpha (1)-adrenoceptor (alpha (1)-AR) in the cultured myoblast C2C12 cells have been examined using molecular biological identifications. Expression of the two distinct mRNAs that encode proteins of alpha (1A)- and alpha (1B)-AR was studied using reverse transcription combined with polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results of RT-PCR demonstrated a marked expression of alpha (1A)-AR in the prostate of rats. Samples from the C2C12 cells under the same amount of amplification showed the expression of alpha (1A)-AR at a level slightly lower than that from the prostate of rats. Western blotting analysis using receptor subtype-specific antibody also indicated that the alpha (1A)-AR was expressed in C2C12 cells as well as in prostate of rats. However, although the expression of alpha (1B)-AR was obtained in the spleen of rats, expression of alpha (1B)-AR was undetectable in the C2C12 cells either the results of RT-PCR or the Western blotting analysis. The present study suggests that alpha (1A)-AR is a major subtype of alpha (1)-AR in the C2C12 cell line. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.