Distinct pathways for beta-adrenoceptor-induced up-regulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and inhibitory G-protein alpha-subunits in chicken cardiomyocytes.

Exposure of cardiomyocytes from chicken embryos for 3 days to the beta-adrenoceptor agonist, isoproterenol, lead to a down-regulation of beta-adrenoceptors by about 70% and to a decrease in isoproterenol-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity by about 40% (homologous desensitization). In addition, the isoproterenol treatment induced an increase in the level of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors by about 30% and an increase in pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of two about 40 kDa proteins, most probably alpha-subunits of the inhibitory G-protein (Gi), by about a factor of two (heterologous desensitization). The purpose of the present study was to characterize the role of beta-adrenoceptor-dependent and -independent mechanisms in heterologous desensitization of adenylyl cyclase. Therefore, the effect of pretreatment with the beta-adrenoceptor antagonist, propranolol, with the partial agonists, celiprolol and xamoterol, and with the beta-adrenoceptor-independent adenylyl cyclase activators, prostaglandin E1 and forskolin, on beta-adrenoceptors, muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and pertussis-toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of G-protein alpha-subunits was studied. Pretreatment of the cardiomyocytes for 3 days with xamoterol or celiprolol, but not with propranolol, induced a small decrease in beta-adrenoceptor number and in isoproterenol-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity by about 15-20%. Exposure to prostaglandin E1 and forskolin lead to a more pronounced decrease in beta-adrenoceptor binding and in isoproterenol-mediated adenylyl cyclase stimulation by about 40-60% (heterologous desensitization). An increase in the level of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, similar to that induced by isoproterenol exposure, was only observed after pretreatment with the partial agonists, celiprolol and xamoterol, but not after pretreatment with the beta-adrenoceptor-independent agonists, prostaglandin E1 and forskolin, nor after pretreatment with propranolol. In contrast, prostaglandin E1 and forskolin exposure lead to a similar increase in pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of about 40 kDa G-proteins as isoproterenol exposure whereas treatment with propranolol, celiprolol and xamoterol had no or only a very small effect on pertussis toxin substrates. In summary, the data suggest that, similar as shown for homologous desensitization, cyclic AMP-dependent and -independent mechanisms are also involved in heterologous desensitization of adenylyl cyclase stimulation. The beta-adrenoceptor-induced upregulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and of the alpha-subunits of pertussis toxin-sensitive G-proteins, most probably of Gi, seem to be mediated via distinct pathways.