Effect of prolonged beta-blockade on energy metabolism and adrenergic responses in the rat.

Rats were treated by daily alprenolol (10, 20 and 50 mg/kg) injections for 5 days a week for 4 weeks. At 20--21 degrees C alprenolol treatment retarded the weight gain of the animals and increased the weight of the adrenals. These changes were not seen at 29 degrees C. The reduction in size and fat content of the interscapular brovin adipose tissue in drug-treated rats was independent of experimental temperature. At 20--21 degrees C prolonged beta-blockade did not cause any changes in the enzymes of the energy metabolism. At 29 degrees C, however, alprenolol treatment antagonized the decrease in activity of oxidative enzymes (succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase) and the decrease in protein concentration of the cardiac muscle. In skeletal muscle alprenolol treatment significantly decreased the activities of oxidative enzymes and antagonized the rise in the activity of lactate dehydrogenase resulting from warm acclimation. The increased activities of oxidative enzymes in interscapular brown adipose tissue of aprenolol treated rats were coupled with an increase in protein concentration of the tissue. Although these changes were more marked at 29 degree C they were observable at 20--21 degree C, too. The difference in the drug effects at 20--21 degrees C and 29 degrees C can be accounted for by the compensatory catecholamine release at the lower temperature, due to impaired thermoregulatory capacity after alprenolol. Prolonged beta blockade decreased the exercise tolerance and cold tolerance of the rats. An increased response of the diastolic blood pressure to an alpha-adrenergic drug, noradrenaline, and a decreased response to a beta-adrenergic drug, isoprenaline, in alprenolol-treated rats indicates a shift from beta- to alpha-receptors.