Beta-1 and beta-2 adrenoceptors mediate smooth muscle relaxation in bovine isolated mesenteric lymphatics

The relaxant effects of beta adrenoceptor agonists were investigated in isolated bovine mesenteric lymphatics which had been contracted by 5-hydroxytryptamine. Addition of isoproterenol (a nonselective beta agonist), denopamine (a selective beta-1 agonist) and procaterol (a selective beta-2 agonist) caused concentration-dependent relaxations in the lymphatic preparations. There was no significant difference in the relaxant responses to the beta adrenoceptor agonists between the preparations with and without endothelium. Treatment with 10(-7) to 3 x 10(-6) M metoprolol (a selective beta-1 antagonist) shifted the concentration-response curve for denopamine to the right, whereas 10(-9) to 3 x 10(-8) M ICI 118,551 (a selective beta-2 antagonist) did not affect the relaxant response to denopamine. The relaxations of bovine mesenteric lymphatics induced by isoproterenol were suppressed by both metoprolol and ICI 118,551. The procaterol-induced relaxations were inhibited by 10(-9) to 3 x 10(-8) M ICI 118,551 but not by 10(-7) to 3 x 10(-6) M metoprolol. Schild plot analyses showed that the slope and pA2 values for metoprolol against denopamine were 1.10 and 7.59, respectively, and that those for ICI 118,551 against procaterol were 0.91 and 9.96. These results suggest that both beta-1 and beta-2 adrenoceptors are located on the smooth muscle cells in bovine mesenteric lymphatics and that stimulation of either receptor produces a marked relaxation.