Lymphocyte beta 2-adrenergic receptors in essential hypertension: studies in basal conditions and after dynamic exercise.

In order to study the density and response to dynamic exercise of lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptors in essential hypertension, 30 moderate essential hypertensives (12 men: 18 women, mean age 50.3 +/- 9.2 years) and 14 normotensive controls (8 men: 7 women, mean age 47 +/- 15 years) were studied. Beta 2-adrenoceptors density in basal conditions was higher in essential hypertensives than in controls (1950 +/- 625 vs 1278 +/- 356 binding sites per cell [bs/c], respectively, p less than 0.01) (mean +/- SD). After dynamic exercise beta 2-adrenoceptors density increased both in controls (to 1491 +/- 342 bs/c, p less than 0.01) and in hypertensives (to 2632 +/- 715 bs/c, p less than 0.001). However, the percentage of increase after the exercise was significantly higher in hypertensives than in controls (40.5 +/- 6.1 vs 20.2 +/- 6.5%, p less than 0.05). In summary, the higher density in basal conditions, as well as the exaggerated increase in the number of beta 2-adrenoceptors after dynamic exercise observed in essential hypertension, suggest an impaired regulation of these receptors in essential hypertension.