BACKGROUND Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists produce antinociception in animals. nAChRs exist almost exclusively on presynaptic terminals in the central nervous system and stimulate neurotransmitter release. This study tested whether nAChR agonists stimulate spinal release of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine either by direct actions on noradrenergic terminals or indi...

Tocolytic therapy with beta-adrenergic receptor agonists is a standard regimen to prevent preterm birth. Agonists exposure of beta-adrenergic receptors causes receptor desensitization in other organs, and this may limit the therapeutic value of beta-adrenergic receptor agonists. To study the effects of prolonged beta-adrenergic agonist treatment in human myometrium, we obtained biopsies during ...

though intravenous (iv) magnesium sulphate (mgs04) has additive effect to beta-2 agonists, its additive benefit in face of combination therapy with beta-2-agonists and ipratropium (standard therapy of severe acute exacerbation of asthma) remains unaddressed. the aim of this investigation was to evaluate the role of iv mgso4 when used as an adjunct to standard therapy of severe exacerbations of ...

Epinephrine plays a key role in the control of vasomotor tone; however, the participation of the NO/cGMP pathway in response to beta-adrenoceptor activation remains controversial. To evaluate the involvement of the endothelium in the vascular response to epinephrine, we assessed NO production, endothelial NO synthase phosphorylation, and tissue accumulation of cGMP in the perfused arterial mese...

The clinical effects of treatment with beta-adrenoceptor (beta-AR) agonists and antagonists in heart failure vary with duration of therapy, as do the effects of beta-AR agonists in asthma. Therefore, we hypothesized that chronic effects of "beta-blockers" in asthma may differ from those observed acutely. We tested this hypothesis in an antigen (ovalbumin)-driven murine model of asthma. Airway r...

OBJECTIVES We evaluated the use and effectiveness of beta-blocker therapy after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma. BACKGROUND Because patients with COPD and asthma have largely been excluded from clinical trials of beta-blocker therapy for AMI, the extent to which these patients would benefit from beta-blocker th...

We have characterized the beta-adrenergic receptor binding site and the beta-adrenergic cAMP response of the HL-60 cell. The hydrophilic ligand [3H]-(-)-CGP-12177 was specifically and reversibly bound to one single class of binding sites (Kd 220 pM and Bmax 1,970 sites/cell). The adrenergic agonists inhibited the specific radioligand binding. The order of potency was isoproterenol greater than ...

In bullfrog sympathetic neurons, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, muscarine, and substance P act as agonists at specific membrane receptors to decrease a potassium current, IM. The receptors are coupled to guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins). Whole-cell recordings of IM were made from isolated bullfrog sympathetic neurons to examine the effects of intracellularly applied guan...

Chronically elevated levels of fatty acids-FA can cause beta cell death in vitro. Beta cells vary in their individual susceptibility to FA-toxicity. Rat beta cells were previously shown to better resist FA-toxicity in conditions that increased triglyceride formation or mitochondrial and peroxisomal FA-oxidation, possibly reducing cytoplasmic levels of toxic FA-moieties. We now show that stearoy...