Expression of two alpha 2-adrenergic receptor subtypes in human placenta: evidence from direct binding studies

Adrenergic receptors may play an important role for mediating a variety of metabolic and haemodynamic effects of catecholamines including placental blood flow. The alpha-adrenergic receptors of the human placenta were characterized in vitro by the use of [3H]rauwolscine and [3H]prazosin as radioligands. Saturation experiments would suggest that the alpha-adrenoceptors in the human placenta are alpha 2. Comparative binding studies were performed, using recently synthesized compounds (Beecham Pharmaceuticals, UK) selective for alpha 2A (BRL-44408) and alpha 2B (BRL-41992) subtypes. The results indicate that human placenta contains at least two pharmacologically distinct alpha 2-adrenoceptor subtypes with approximately 60 per cent alpha 2A and 40 per cent alpha 2B receptors. In contrast with the pattern of increasing beta-adrenoceptor density, the concentration of alpha 2-adrenoceptors in term placentae is significantly lower than in placentae from the first trimester.