Cardiac beta-adrenergic receptors in salt-dependent genetic hypertension

The pattern of cardiac beta-adrenergic receptor changes in different hypertrophy models varies according to the pathophysiology. In salt-sensitive Dahl rats, high dietary salt intake leads to a moderate degree of cardiac hypertrophy associated with increased numbers of cardiac beta-adrenergic receptors but unchanged affinity for agonists. Isoproterenol-stimulated cardiac adenylate cyclase is also higher in salt-loaded hypertensive rats without any change in basal or NaF-stimulated activities. In contrast, neither beta-adrenergic receptors nor adenylate cyclase activities are affected by variations in dietary salt in salt-resistant Dahl rats. The extent of isoproterenol-induced down regulation of beta-adrenergic receptors on isolated cardiac myocytes as well as the recovery from this down regulation is not significantly different in either strain of Dahl rats and is not influenced by dietary salt. The enhancement of beta-adrenergic pathways in salt-dependent genetic hypertension may be involved both in the initiation of cardiac hypertrophy and the preservation of contractile function.