Characteristics of the beta 1-and beta 2-adrenergic-sensitive adenylate cyclases in glial cell primary cultures and their comparison with beta 2-adrenergic-sensitive adenylate cyclase of meningeal cells.

The agonist specificity pattern of the beta-adrenergic adenylate cyclase in glial primary cultures was not typical of either beta 1- or beta 2-adrenergic receptors. The dose-response curves for adrenaline did not correspond to simple mass action kinetics and their computer analysis suggests the presence of both beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic-sensitive adenylate cyclase (58 plus or minus 17% and 42 plus or minus 17% respectively). Similar properties of beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic-sensitive adenylate cyclases were found by computer analysis of the dose-response curves for isoprenaline in the presence of a constant concentration of practolol (a selective beta 1 antagonist) (55 plus or minus 10% and 45 plus or minus 10% of beta 1- and beta 2-sensitive adenylate cyclase respectively). The curves for displacement of [3H]dihydroalprenolol by practolol confirm these results. For purpose of comparison, the beta-adrenergic receptors of meningeal cells in cultures were subjected to similar analysis. The results clearly showed that these cells exclusively contained beta 2-adrenergic receptors.