Relation between beta-adrenergic receptor density and lymphocyte proliferation associates with acute stress

The relations between acute changes in beta-adrenoreceptor density on lymphocytes and lymphocyte proliferation to a laboratory speech stressor were examined. Male participants either prepared and delivered a challenging speech task or read from a list of words. Participants engaged in the speech task, but not those involved in reading, exhibited significant increases in systolic blood pressure (an index of sympathetic nervous system arousal) and beta-adrenoreceptor density, accompanied by significant decreases in lymphocyte proliferation to pokeweed mitogen (PWM) but not concanavalin A (Con A). Increases in adrenoreceptor density significantly predicted decreases in lymphocyte activity in response to both mitogens. The increases in beta-adrenoreceptor density in the speech task condition occurred within 5 min after the baseline period, when participants were preparing for the speech task, but not yet speaking. These findings suggest that an acute stressor eliciting sympathetic nervous system activity can evoke rapid changes in beta-adrenoreceptor activity and decreases in mitogenic responses.