Effect of chronic beta-adrenergic therapy on the human lymphocyte response to concanavalin A

Lymphocytes isolated from cystic fibrosis patients chronically treated with beta-adrenergic agonists respond significantly differently to epinephrine modulation of mitogen challenge than either cystic fibrosis patients not receiving beta-adrenergic therapy or normal human volunteers. Those patients on chronic beta-adrenergic therapy are insensitive to the modulating effects of 1-epinephrine. This observation is discussed in terms of adrenergic receptor alteration and/or different cystic fibrosis disease states.