Temporal changes in myocardial adrenergic regulation with the progression to pump dysfunction after chronic beta-adrenoreceptor activation in rats.

We evaluated the relationship between myocardial norepinephrine release or inotropic responsiveness to adrenergic stimulation and intrinsic myocardial function after the progression to pump dysfunction induced by chronic beta-adrenoreceptor activation (isoproterenol [ISO], 0.1 mg/kg/day for 1 month or 6 months) in rats. Left ventricular (LV) systolic chamber dysfunction occurred after 6 months, but not after 1 month of beta-adrenoreceptor activation, as evidenced by reduced LV endocardial fractional shortening determined by echocardiography and a decrease in the slope of the LV systolic pressure-volume relations assessed in isolated, perfused heart preparations. A reduced pump function at 6 months of ISO administration was associated with chamber dilatation, while LV midwall fractional shortening (echocardiography) and the slope of the LV systolic stress-strain relations (isolated heart preparations), indices of intrinsic myocardial function, were unchanged. After 1 month of ISO administration, reduced beta1- and beta2-adrenoreceptor-mediated and sustained alpha-adrenoreceptor-mediated inotropic responses were noted. Nevertheless, increased inotropic potency of beta-adrenoreceptor agonists and upregulation of alpha-adrenoreceptor-mediated contractile responses were noted after 6 months of ISO administration. Increased adrenergic-inotropic responsiveness after 6 months of ISO administration was associated with depleted LV norepinephrine stores, as evidenced by reduced desipramine-stimulated norepinephrine concentrations in the coronary effluent. In conclusion, in the progression from compensated cardiac hypertrophy to pump dysfunction after chronic sympathetic activation, a preserved intrinsic myocardial contractility is accounted for by paradoxical upregulation of adrenergic-mediated contractile responses.