Affinity and selectivity of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists in vitro

The potency order of the catecholamines (-)-isoprenaline (Iso), (-)-noradrenaline (NA), and (-)-adrenaline (Adr) in competition for radiolabelled sites is used for their pharmacological classification. It is shown that the radioligand 3H-CGP 12177 exclusively labels beta 1-adrenoceptors in rat salivary gland membranes (Iso greater than NA greater than Adr), and beta 2-adrenoceptors in rat reticulocytes (Iso greater than Adr greater than or equal to NA). These models are then used to derive the subtype-selectivity of the classical beta-adrenoceptor antagonists (+/-)-propranolol (prop; twofold beta 2-selective) and (+/-)-atenolol (aten; 35-fold beta 1-selective), as well as of the newer antagonists (+/-)-betaxolol and (+/-)-bisoprolol (betax and biso; 35-fold and 75-fold beta 1-selective, respectively). The ligand with the highest selectivity is ICI 118,551 (ICI), with a 300-fold beta 2-subtype selectivity. For comparison with antagonistic effects in humans at given plasma concentrations, the equilibrium dissociation constants of the ligands are measured in the presence of native human plasma and yield values for the relative selectively labelled subtype in the mean (Ki-values in nmol/l): prop: 20, aten: 250, biso: 24, betax: 23, and ICI: 2.5.