Characterization of functional beta-adrenoceptor subtypes in rabbit urinary bladder smooth muscle

Spontaneous contractile force of muscle strips isolated from male rabbit urinary bladder dome (detrusor) and base (trigonal muscle) was significantly inhibited by isoproterenol (10(-7)-10(-5) M), a non-specific beta-adrenoceptor agonist or by terbutaline (10(-8)-10(-5) M), a selective beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist. The EC50 values for isoproterenol and terbutaline in detrusor were the same as those in trigonal muscle but the maximum relaxant response to isoproterenol or terbutaline was significantly greater in detrusor than in trigonal muscle. Dobutamine (10(-5)-10(-4) M), a relatively specific beta 1-adrenoceptor agonist caused a small but significant relaxant response in trigonal muscle but no change in detrusor. In trigonal muscle the relaxant response to dobutamine was less than that to terbutaline. The relaxant response to 10(-6) M isoproterenol in detrusor was completely blocked by butoxamine (10(-4) M), a selective beta 2-antagonist or by propranolol (10(-6) M), a non-specific beta-antagonist but not by metoprolol (10(-6)-10(-4) M), a selective beta 1-antagonist. Relaxation of trigonal muscle induced by 10(-6) M isoproterenol was inhibited by 10(-5) M metoprolol by 30%, by 10(-4) M butoxamine by 70%, or completely by 10(-6) M propranolol. These findings are consistent with the view that the density of beta-adrenoceptors is higher in the detrusor than in trigonal muscle, and that the relaxant response to beta-adrenoceptor stimulation is mediated by beta 2-subtype in the detrusor and by both of beta 1- and beta 2-subtypes in trigonal muscle of the male rabbit.