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European Heart Journal 1991 12(Supplement F):124-126; doi:10.1093/eurheartj/12.suppl_F.124
Copyright © 1991 by the European Society of Cardiology.
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© 1991 The European Society of Cardiology

Development of β-adrenoceptor number and subtype distribution in the transplanted human heart

H.-R. Zerkowski*, M. Khamssi and O.-E. Brodde

Biochem. Forschungslabor, Med. Klinik und Poliklinik, Abtlg. Nieren- und Hochdruckkrankheitcn
* Abtlg. Thorax- und Kardiovaskuläre Chirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Essen D-4300 Essen, Germany

Correspondence: Otto-Erich Brodde, PhD Biochem. Forschungslabor, Med. Klinik und Poliklinik, Abtlg. Nieren- und Hochdruckkrankheiten, Universitatsklinikum, Hufelandstr. 55, D-4300 Essen 1, Germany

The transplanted human heart is a denervated organ and thus may exhibit β-adrenoceptor supersensitivity. To monitor possible β-adrenoceptor changes in the transplanted human heart we assessed, in right ventricular endomyocardial biopsies from eight heart transplant recipients, β-adrenoceptor number (by (–)-[125I]-iodocyanopindolol [ICYP] binding) and β1:β2-adrenoceptor ratio (by inhibition of ICYP binding with a β1-adrenoceptor saturating concentration of CGP 20712 A, 500nM) in weekly, later monthly, intervals for 6–18 post-transplant months. In the biopsies of the transplanted hearts, β-adrenoceptor number was significandy higher than in the right ventricular membranes of the explanted native hearts of the patients; during the whole period, the biopsies' β-adrenoceptor number was quite stable and no significant increase or decrease was observed. In contrast, with increasing post-transplant time β1: β2-adrenoceptor ratio was shifted towards β2-adrenoceptors: in the first 9 weeks it was 80:20%, while after 4–18 months it had decreased to 66:34%.

We conclude that in the first 18 post-transplant months β-adrenoceptors in the transplanted human heart are not up-regulated. There is, however, a gradual decrease in β1,- and increase in β2-adrenoceptors with increasing post-transplant time. This may have important pathophysiological consequences for regulation of contractility and/or heart rate by endogenous catecholamines in heart transplant recipients.

Key Words: Cardiac β1- and β2-adrenoceptors • human heart • heart transplantation • denervationsupersensitivity


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