A comparison of the activities of the beta-adrenoceptor agonists MJ9184-1 AND (--)-ISOPRENALINE IN GUINEA-PIG AND CAT PREPARATIONS

Effects of N-aralkyl substitution of beta-agonists on alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor subtypes: pharmacological studies and binding assays

The pharmacological and binding properties of four beta-adrenomimetic drugs with N-alkyl substitutions (isoprenaline, terbutaline, salbutamol and soterenol) were compared with those of four corresponding drugs with N-aralkyl substitutions (protokylol, ME 506, salmefamol and zinterol). BD-40 A, a very powerful beta 2-agonist with a related chemical structure, was also included in this study. The beta 1- and beta 2-activities of these drugs were determined on guinea-pig atria and trachea, their alpha-adrenolytic activity was measured on rat aorta and their affinities (Ki) for alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors on rat cortical membranes were assessed using [3H]prazosin and [3H]yohimbine. In this group of beta-agonists, substitution of the N-alkyl by an N-aralkyl group had a variable effect on the beta 2-selectivity whereas alpha-adrenolytic properties were always enhanced. An increase of the affinities (Ki) for both alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors was found but the effect was much more pronounced for alpha 1-adrenoceptors. These results indicated that the alpha-adrenolytic activity observed with the N-aralkyl beta-agonists was selective for alpha 1-adrenoceptors.

In vitro activity of RO363, a beta1-adrenoceptor selective agonist

1 The beta-adrenoceptor stimulant effects of RO363 and (--)-isoprenaline have been compared in a variety of isolated tissue preparations. 2 RO363 is approximately half as potent as (--)-isoprenaline in tissues where actions are due to beta1-receptor activation (guinea-pig atrial and ileal preparations and ventricular strips from the rabbit, rat and guinea-pig. 3 In uterine and lung strip preparations from the guinea-pig, where responses are due to beta2-receptor stimulation. RO363 is 100 to 350 times less active than (--)-isoprenaline and has a low intrinsic activity. 4 In spontaneously contracted tracheal preparations from the guinea-pig, RO363 is a full agonist and is approximately half as potent as (--)-isoprenaline. These effects of RO363 are due to the activation of a population of beta1-receptors in the tissue since RO363 and (--)-isoprenaline have the same relative potencies in trachea, cardiac and ileal preparations. In addition the Kb values for practolol are similar in all these preparations when RO363 is used as the agonist. 5 The results show that RO363 is a potent and highly selective beta1-receptor agonist.

pA2 values of selective beta-adrenoceptor antagonists on isolated atria demonstrate a species difference in the beta-adrenoceptor populations mediating chronotropic responses in cat and guinea-pig

pA2 values for atenolol (beta 1-selective) and alpha-methylpropranolol (beta 2-selective) have been determined on isolated atria of cat and guinea-pig using noradrenaline (beta 1-selective) and fenoterol (beta 2-selective) as agonists. On guinea-pig atria, the pA2 values did not vary with the agonist used. On cat atria the pA2 for atenolol was greater with noradrenaline than with fenoterol and the pA2 for alpha-methylpropranolol was greater with fenoterol than with noradrenaline. Fenoterol was 20 times more potent on cat than on guinea-pig atria whereas noradrenaline was approximately equipotent in the two species. The results have been intrepreted as suggsesting that both cat and guinea-pig atria contain one receptor type in common (beta 1) but that only cat atria contain beta 2-adrenoceptors as well.

Comparison of the beta-adrenoceptor effects of soterenol and its 3-hydroxy, 4-sulphonamido isomer (MJ6987-1) in isolated tissues from the guninea-pig

1. Soterenol and its 3-hydroxy, 4-methanesulphonamido isomer (MJ6987-1) were compared with isoprenaline for beta-adrenoceptor mediated effects in guinea-pig atrial, tracheal, uterine and ileal preparations. In addition, MJ6987-1 was tested for its effects in the atria of cats, rabbits and rats. 2. Soterenol had a lower intrinsic activity and was approximately two to six times less active than isoprenaline in all preparations. 3. MJ6987-1 was a full agonist, being some 30--200 times less active than isoprenaline at beta 1-receptor sites and greater than 3000 times less active in preparations where beta 2-receptor activation was involved. 4. Change in the position of the ring substituents in soterenol leads to the production of beta 1-receptor selective agonist.

Isolated lung strips of guinea pigs: responses to beta-adrenergic agonists and antagonists

Isolated lung strips of guinea pigs were examined as an in vitro model for assessing the direct effect of beta-adrenergic drugs at the level of peripheral airways. Changes in intrinsic tone of thin strips of lung parenchyma were measured with an isometric force transducer. Isoproterenol, a nonselective beta-adrenergic agonist, and several beta-adrenergic agonists, soterenol, salbutamol, metaproterenol and ritodrine elicited a dose-related relaxation of lung strip. Responses to isoproterenol were antagonized by propranolol and the selective beta blocking agents butoxamine (beta2) and practolol (beta1). These results were compared to data obtained with the same compounds on isolated guinea pig atria. All agonists except ritodrine were full agonists in the lung strip whereas isoproterenol and metaproterenol were the only full agonists in the atrial preparation. In the atria, practolol was a more effective blocker of isoproterenol responses than butoxamine, and the reverse was true for the lung strip.

Agonistic and antagonistic actions of 3,4-dihydroxy-substituted phenoxypropanolamines in guinea-pig atria and trachea

1. Racemic mixtures of noradrenaline, adrenaline, isoprenaline, N-t-butylnor-adrenaline and their corresponding derivatives containing an oxymethylene (OM) link between the phenyl ring and ethanolamine side-chain have been tested for their effects on beta-adrenoceptors in isolated guinea-pig atrial and tracheal preparations. 2. In atrial and in spontaneously contracted tracheal preparations both the parent catecholamines and their corresponding OM-derivatives had a similar order of potency as beta-receptor agonists. 3. In carbachol-stimulated tracheal preparations the OM-derivatives were shown to have partial agonistic actions. 4. As in other phenylethanolamines and phenoxypropanolamines, both the agonistic and antagonistic potency of the OM-derivatives increased with increasing amine substitution.

Actions of procaterol (OPC-2009), a new beta2-adrenoceptor stimulant, on pulmonary resistance, contractions of the soleus muscle, and cardiovascular system of the anaesthetized cat

The β-adrenoceptor stimulant actions of procaterol hydrochloride [5-(1-hydroxy-2-iso-propylaminobutyl)-8-hydroxycarbostyril hydrochloride hemihydrate] were compared with those of isoprenaline, orciprenaline and salbutamol on pulmonary resistance, contractions of the soleus muscle, heart rate and diastolic blood pressure in the anaesthetized cat. All four drugs reduced the 5-HT-induced increase in pulmonary resistance, decreased the tension of incomplete tetanic contractions of the soleus muscle and the diastolic blood pressure, and increased the heart rate in a dose-related manner. The duration of the bronchodilator action of procaterol was far longer than that of orciprenaline or salbutamol while isoprenaline had the shortest duration. Procaterol was about 1·5 times more potent, and orciprenaline and salbutamol about 80 and 10 times less potent than isoprenaline in reducing the 5-HT-induced increase in pulmonary resistance and in decreasing the tension of incomplete tetanic contractions of the soleus muscle. Procaterol, orciprenaline and salbutamol were 3·5, 91·9 and 43·9 times less potent than isoprenaline in increasing the heart rate. Procaterol, orciprenaline and salbutamol were 3·4, 130·2 and 12·9 times less potent than isoprenaline in decreasing the diastolic blood pressure. Calculation of selectivity for bronchial vs cardiac β-adrenoceptors indicates that procaterol and salbutamol have a similar degree of selectivity for β2-adrenoceptors mediating the bronchodilation, and that orciprenaline was an essentially unselective stimulant. Furthermore, the results support the suggestion that at present it is not possible to separate the bronchodilating and tremor-enhancing properties of β-adrenoceptor stimulants.

Species difference in the beta1/beta2-adrenoceptor selectivity of SM220CL in the cat and guinea-pig

The beta-receptor stimulant effects of Sm220Cl, dl-N-(1,1-dimethyl-3-phenylpropyl)-2-hydroxy-2-(3,4-dihydroxy-2-methoxyphenyl)ethylamine, and (-)-isoprenaline have been compared in isolated atrial (beta1) and tracheal (beta2) preparations from guinea-pigs and cats. 2. The compounds were also tested for their ability to increase the heart rate (beta1), reduce serotonin-induced increases in pulmonary resistance (beta2), and decrease soleus muscle contractility (beta2) in vivo in the two species. 3. In all experiments cumulative concentration or dose-effect curves were established, EC50 or ED50 values obtained and molar activity-ratios (Sm220Cl: (-)-isoprenaline) calculated. 4. Calculated selectivity ratios [activity-ratio (heart):activity-ratio (bronchial smooth muscle)] from the in vitro experiments showed that Sm220Cl possessed beta2-receptor selectivity. This was more marked in guinea-pig than in cat preparations. 5. In the anaesthetized animals this species difference was more apparent; in cats Sm220Cl was non-selective in its actions for beta1- and beta2-receptor mediated responses, while marked beta2-receptor selectivity was obtained in the guinea-pig. 6. Since in both species the activity-ratios for beta2-receptor mediated actions are similar, the differences in the beta1/beta2-receptor selectivity of Sm220Cl are caused by the divergent cardiac effects produced by the drug.

Selectivity of beta-adrenoceptor agonists and antagonists on bronchial, skeletal, vascular and cardiac muscle in the anaesthetized cat

1 The potencies of fifteen beta-adrenoceptor agonists of widely differing chemical structures were compared with that of (-)-isoprenaline on bronchial muscle, soleus muscle, blood pressure and heart rate in the anaesthetized cat. The beta-adrenoceptor antagonist potencies of propranolol and practolol were determined against (-)-isoprenaline in the same model. 2 (-)-Isoprenaline was the most potent agonist and its action was essentially unselective. Thus, on all four parameters the minimal effective dose was 0.003-0.01 mug/kg and maximal or near maximal responses were produced by 0.3-1 mug/kg. Trimetoquinol was also an essentially unselective agonist. 3 For thirteen of the remaining fourteen agonists, potency was similar on bronchial muscle, soleus muscle and blood pressure but significantly lower on heart rate. 4 The remaining agonist - AH 7616 (4-hydroxy-alpha1-[[(1-methyl-3,3-diphenyl-propyl)amino]-methyl]-m-xylene-alpha1, alpha3-diol, acetate) - was also significantly less potent on heart rate than on the other parameters; in addition, it was clearly less potent on soleus muscle and blood pressure than on bronchial muscle when 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was used to induce bronchospasm. However, when acetylcholine was used instead of 5-HT the potency of AH 7616 on induce bronchospasm. However, when acetylcholine was used instead of 5-HT the potency of AH 7616 on bronchial muscle, soleus muscle and blood pressure was very similar. AH 7616 may therefore possess a specific 5-HT antagonist action in addition to its beta-adrenoceptor agonist action. 5 The fifteen test agonists were longer acting than (-)-isoprenaline and this was particularly true of trimetoquinol and soterenol. 6 The beta-adrenoceptor antagonist potency of propranolol was almost identical on bronchial muscle, soleus muscle and blood pressure and very slightly lower on the heart. Practolol was 10-12 times more potent on the heart than on bronchial muscle, soleus muscle and blood pressure. 7 These findings suggest that it may not be possible to separate the bronchodilating and tremorenhancing properties of beta-adrenoceptor agonists. The results with agonists and antagonists are in accord with Lands' dual beta-adrenoceptor sub-classification.

Isoprenaline antagonism of cardioselective beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agents on human and rat adipocytes

1. The beta-adrenergic blocking potencies of practolol, ICI 66082, tolamolol, acebutolol, H 93/26, H 87/07, pindolol and Ro 3-4787 were compared with that of propranolol, on human and rat adipocytes. 2. A good correlation was found between the potencies on adipocytes of the two species but not between our results and literature data on antagonism of isopernaline tachycardia in the anaesthetized cat. 3. The results indicate that differences between adrenergic beta-receptors in heart and adipose tissue may be detected using cardioselective beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agents.

Influence of changes in amine substitution on the beta-adrenoceptor stimulant activity of soterenol and related compounds in the anaesthetized cat

1. Three 3-methanesulphonamido, 4-hydroxy ring substituted phenylethanolamines with N-isopropyl (soterenol), N-t-butyl (MJ7999-1) and N-(1-phenyl-t-butyl)(MJ9184-1) amine substituents have been compared with ()-isoprenaline for their ability to produce beta-receptor mediated reductions in serotonin-induced increases in pulmonary resistance, decreases in soleus muscle contractility, and increases in heart rate in anaesthetized cats. For each parameter, the dose of a compound required to produce 50% of its maximal response (ED50) was calculated. 2. For all three parameters ()-isoprenaline was the most potent of the compounds studied, and the rank order of potency of the methanesulphonanilides was MJ9184-1 (N-(1-phenyl-t-butyl))congruent to MJ7999-1 (N-t-butyl) greater than soterenol (N-isopropyl). 3. For each individual drug, molar dose-ratios [drug:()-isoprenaline] were calculated. Ratios for the effects of the compounds on the soleus muscle and in the bronchi were similar. With each compound higher dose-ratios were found in the heart. The rank order for relative beta2-selectivity was soterenol (N-isopropyl) greater than MJ7999-1 (N-t-butyl) congruent to MJ9184-1 (N-(1-phenyl-t-butyl)).