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Alpha-2 adrenergic receptors stimulate actin organization in developing fetal rat cardiac myocytes

  • Amy C. Porter
  • , Samuel P.S. Svensson
  • , W. Daniel Stamer
  • , Joseph J. Bahl
  • , Jeremy G. Richman
  • , John W. Regan

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Expression of α2-adrenergic receptors (α2-AR) is very high in fetal rat heart although numbers decline with increasing gestational age. The current experiments were designed to identify the subtypes of α2-AR expressed and the function of these receptors in fetal cardiac myocytes. Expression of α2A and α2C, but not α2B, was confirmed in the myocyte population by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy with subtype-specific antibodies and by Western blot. Both dexmedetomidine, an α2-selective agonist, and norepinephrine, increased actin cytoskeleton organization and this increase was blocked by the α2-selective antagonist, atipamezole. Furthermore, dexmedetomidine inhibited isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP accumulation in isolated fetal rat heart and this was blocked by rauwolscine. Therefore, functional α2A and α2B subtypes are present in the fetal rat heart where they may have a role in cardiac development.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1455-1466
Number of pages12
JournalLife Sciences
Volume72
Issue number13
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 14 2003

Keywords

  • Actin
  • Cytoskeleton
  • Fetal heart
  • Immunocytochemistry
  • Phalloidin
  • α-adrenergic receptors

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics

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