beta-Adrenoceptor studies. 6. Further investigations on the hybrid nature of the rat adipocyte beta-adrenoceptor.

The nature of the rat adipocyte beta-adrenoceptor was studied in further detail using a selected series of tolamol-type beta-adrenoceptor antagonists. Isoprenaline antagonism by these compounds was evaluated on adipocytes, right atrium, left atrium and left hemidiaphragm of the rat. Adipocyte pA2 values were corrected for binding to bovine serum albumin determined separately for each antagonist. A strong correlation between adipocyte and diaphragm pA2 values was found with those antagonists which had an identical N-substituent but a different substitution pattern in the phenoxypropanolamine ring. This relationship was absent with those compounds which had the same 2-methylphenoxypropanolamine moiety but a different N-substituent. With the latter antagonists, however, adipocyte pA2 values correlated significantly with the two cardiac pA2 values. These results support the idea that the interaction site of the rat adipocyte beta-adrenoceptor for the aromatic moiety of arylethanolamines and aryloxypropanolamines has beta 2-characteristics whereas the alkanolamine side-chain interaction site has a beta 1-nature. Finally, it was ascertained that the apparently dualistic (beta 1 and beta 2) character of the rat adipocyte adrenoceptor is not due to the presence of both a beta 1- and a beta 2-receptor population on the fat cell plasma membrane.