An increase in cardiac alpha 1-adrenoceptors following chronic clonidine treatment.

Chronic treatment (22 days) of rats with clonidine (0.5 mg/kg s.c. twice a day followed by 20 h of withdrawal) resulted in a significant increase in the specific [3H]WB4101 binding to ventricular and intraventricular septal alpha 1-adrenoceptors but no alteration of the atrial alpha 1-adrenoceptors. Scatchard analysis indicated that the increase in the [3H]WB4101 binding to the clonidine-treated cardiac tissue was due to an enhancement of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor density since there was a significant increase in the Bmax value for the [3H]WB4101 binding to the treated ventricles without a change in the Kd value. The specific [3H]WB4101 binding to cardiac alpha 1-adrenoceptors was not altered by the acute (1 day) or 7 days treatment with clonidine. Chronic treatment with clonidine had no significant effect on the specific [3H](-)DHA binding to the atrial and ventricular beta-adrenoceptor. The noradrenaline (NA) concentrations in the clonidine-treated ventricles and intraventricular septae were decreased by 16-20%. These data provide biochemical evidence compatible with a significant reduction of sympathetic outflow to the ventricular myocardium by clonidine.