Beta 2-adrenoceptor-mediated positive dromotropic effects on atrioventricular node of dogs

The functional significance of beta 2-adrenoceptors in atrioventricular (AV) nodal conduction was investigated by using canine isolated blood-perfused AV node preparations. Dose-dependent shortening of the atrio-His bundle (A-H) interval by dl-procaterol hydrochloride hemihydrate (0.03-1 nmol) injected intra-arterially into the AV node artery was affected little by an infusion of dl-atenolol (10 nmol/min) into the same artery, whereas the dose-response curve for the positive dromotropic effect of procaterol was shifted markedly to the right by approximately 1.5 and 2.5 log units with ICI 118551 [erythro-dl-1-(7-methylindan-4-yloxy)-3-isopropylamino-bu tan-2-ol]- hydrochloride (1 and 10 nmol/min). The positive dromotropic effect of dl-T-1583 [alpha-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylaminomethyl)-3,4-dihydroxybenzyl- alcohol] hydrochloride (30-300 pmol), a selective beta 1-adrenoceptor agonist, was shifted to the right by approximately 1.2 log units with dl-atenolol (10 nmol/min) but was affected little by ICI 118551 (10 nmol/min). The dose-response curve for l-isoproterenol hydrochloride (3-100 pmol) was shifted to the right by 0.7 log unit with ICI 118551 (10 nmol/min) and by 1.7 log units with atenolol (10 nmol/min). The dose-response curve for dl-norepinephrine (0.03-1 nmol) was shifted to the right by 1.0 log unit with atenolol only, whereas the curve for l-epinephrine (0.03-1 nmol) was shifted by 0.45 log unit with ICI 118551 (10 nmol/min). These results suggest that both beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors, which coexist on the AV node, play a functional role in AV nodal conduction.