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Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 282: R317-R322, 2002; doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00274.2001
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Vol. 282, Issue 1, R317-R322, January 2002

RAPID COMMUNICATION
A farnesyltransferase inhibitor attenuated beta -adrenergic receptor downregulation in rat skeletal muscle

Julie L. Lavoie1,2, Angelino Calderone2,3, and Louise Béliveau1,2,4

1 Département de Kinésiologie; 2 Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Autonome; 3 Département de Physiologie et Institut de Cardiologie de Montréal; 4 Centre de Recherche de l'Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3C 3J7


    ABSTRACT
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Farnesylation represents an essential posttranslational modification of several well-defined proteins implicated in the homologous desensitization of the beta -adrenergic receptor (beta -ADR). The following study examined the effect of a novel farnesyltransferase inhibitor, BMS-191563, on agonist-mediated beta -ADR downregulation in skeletal muscle. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated for 12 days with the beta 2-adrenergic agonist clenbuterol (4 mg/kg) with or without the concurrent administration of BMS-191563 (2 mg · kg-1 · day-1). Clenbuterol promoted gastrocnemius muscle hypertrophy, whereas the soleus muscle was unaffected. Total beta -ADR density was decreased by 45 and 40% in the soleus and medial gastrocnemius (MG), respectively, after clenbuterol treatment. BMS-191563 treatment did not prevent clenbuterol-stimulated MG hypertrophy, but markedly attenuated beta -ADR downregulation in both muscle types. This latter effect in the soleus muscle was not associated with the inhibition of Ras farnesylation. Likewise, in rat cardiac fibroblasts, isoproterenol-mediated decrease of total beta -ADR density was abrogated by the prior treatment with BMS-191563. Collectively, these data demonstrate that the mechanism(s) implicated in agonist-mediated beta -ADR downregulation was sensitive to BMS-191563, thereby suggesting the involvement of farnesylated proteins.

sympathetic system; cardiac fibroblasts; homologous desensitization; clenbuterol; farnesylation


    INTRODUCTION
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

HOMOLOGOUS DESENSITIZATION of the beta -adrenergic receptor (beta -ADR) represents an adaptive response commonly observed in various disease states associated with a hyperactivity of the sympathetic system (30). The uncoupling of the beta -ADR from its heterotrimeric G protein characterizes the initial event of desensitization after acute exposure to agonist (11). This process involves the phosphorylation of the beta -ADR by a unique family of G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRK) and leads to the subsequent binding of the protein beta -arrestin (33). The beta -ADR/beta -arrestin complex is sequestered in endosomes, whereupon the receptor can then be recycled to the membrane after removal of the agonist (11, 33). However, the prolonged agonist exposure (>1 h) will result in the translocation of the beta -ADR to lysosomes and targeting for degradation (19). This latter process of homologous desensitization is referred to as receptor downregulation (19). Although the mechanism(s) implicated in receptor downregulation remains to be completely resolved, several studies have suggested receptor sequestration may represent a prerequisite event (2, 13).

The posttranslational addition of isoprenoid lipids via a process termed prenylation represents a prerequisite event of numerous proteins to achieve proper cellular localization and full biological activity (18). The cytosolic enzyme farnesyltransferase attaches a 15-carbon farnesyl isoprenoid to the cysteine residue of the CAAX (C, cysteine; A, aliphatic amino acid; X, either serine, methionine, glutamine, or alanine) motif (10). The addition of the farnesyl group leads to the proteolytic cleavage of the remaining three COOH-terminal amino acids and subsequent methylation of the prenylated cysteine. A second cytosolic prenyltransferase termed geranylgeranyltransferase has been identified and attaches a 20-carbon geranylgeranyl isoprenoid to the cysteine residue of the CAAX motif, if the X amino acid is a leucine residue (8). Interestingly, the GRK1 isoform of the GRK family contains a CAAX motif, whereas GRK2 and GRK3 are not prenylated but display two protein motifs implicated in the targeting of these proteins to the plasma membrane: a Gbeta gamma -binding domain and a pleckstrin homology domain (6, 8, 26). Analogous to GRK1, the attachment of the Gbeta gamma -subunit to the plasma membrane requires the posttranslational prenylation of the gamma -subunit. The Ggamma 1-, gamma 8-, and gamma 11-isoforms are targets of farnesyltransferase, whereas the remaining Ggamma -isoforms are geranylgeranylated (27). On the basis of these observations, the selective inhibition of prenylation may represent a mechanism modulating beta -ADR desensitization and/or downregulation after the chronic exposure to agonist. In this regard, the following study used a pharmacological approach to better understand the relationship between farnesylation and agonist-mediated beta -ADR downregulation in skeletal muscle.


    MATERIALS AND METHODS
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Animal Protocol

Experiments were conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Canadian Council for the Protection of Animals and approved by the Ethics and Research Committee of the University of Montreal. Thirty-two female Sprague-Dawley rats (Charles River, St-Constant, Canada) with an initial weight of 150-175 g were used. Rats were housed individually at a constant temperature of 21°C and had free access to water and food. After a 2-day acclimatization period, the animals were randomly separated into four experimental groups: control, BMS-191563 (peptidomimetic farnesyltransferase inhibitor; Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ), clenbuterol (selective beta 2-adrenergic agonist; Sigma, St. Louis, MO), and BMS-191563 and clenbuterol. BMS-191563 (2 mg · kg-1 · day-1) was injected intraperitoneally for 14 days, whereas control animals received an injection of the equivalent volume of saline 0.9%. Clenbuterol was mixed into a powdered form of standard laboratory rat diet (ProLab RMH 4018, Syracuse, NY) at a concentration of 4 mg/kg of food and administered for 12 days (22). In the BMS-19563 plus clenbuterol-treated rats, clenbuterol was added to the diet 2 days after the start of the BMS-191563 treatment.

Contractile Properties

At the end of the treatment period, the animals were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (45 mg/kg; Maple Leaf, Cambridge, Canada) for the measurement of in situ contractile properties of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle, as previously described (23). Contractile properties were recorded on computer or FM tape, and, after the experiment was completed, the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles were excised, weighed, frozen in liquid nitrogen, and stored at -80°C.

Cultured Neonatal Rat Cardiac Fibroblasts

Cardiac fibroblasts were isolated from 1- to 3-day-old Sprague-Dawley rat pups (Charles River), as previously described (5). Experiments were performed on second passage cells that were plated at a density of 100-200 cells/mm2 for a period of 24-36 h in DMEM containing 7% FBS. Cells were subsequently washed and the media was changed to serum-free DMEM containing insulin 5 µg/ml and sodium selenite 5 ng/ml (Collaborative Biomedical, Bedford, MA) for 48 h before the experimental protocol.

Measurement of Total beta -ADR Density

Previously frozen (-80°C) skeletal muscle tissue was prepared as previously described (23). For cardiac fibroblasts, 250 µl of lysis buffer (75 mM Tris, 12.5 mM MgCl2, 2 mM EDTA, 1 µg/ml leupeptin, 1 µg/ml aprotinin, and 100 µM PMSF) was added to each plate and cells were scraped and homogenized with a 23-gauge needle. The skeletal muscle plasma membrane pellet and the total cardiac fibroblast lysate were used immediately for analysis. Protein content was measured with the Bradford method using bovine serum albumin as a standard.

beta -ADR density was measured in triplicate using saturating concentrations of [125I]iodocyanopindolol (New England Nuclear, Mandel, Guelph, Canada) with or without 10 µM alprenolol (Sigma), as previously described (23). Radioactivity was measured using a gamma counter (LKB 1271, PerkinElmer Life Sciences, Turku, Finland). Specific binding was calculated as the difference between total binding and nonspecific binding. beta -ADR density is expressed in femtomoles per milligram of protein. In cardiac fibroblasts, beta -ADR density was found to be 57 ± 9 fmol/mg protein (n = 4).

Western Blot Analysis of Ras and Extracellular-Signal Regulated Kinase

Distribution. The cytosolic and particulate fractions of total soleus muscle lysate were prepared as previously described (4). One hundred micrograms of particulate and cytosolic protein was loaded on a 10% SDS-polyacrylamide gel, and subsequently transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane (Hybond; Amersham, Baie d'Urfée, Canada). The membrane was blocked in a solution of TBS (Tris-buffered saline) 1×, 0.1% Tween, and 3% powdered milk, followed by an overnight incubation at 4°C with either a pan-Ras mouse antibody (1:250; recognizes H, N, and K isoforms; Calbiochem, LaJolla, CA), or extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) rabbit antibody (1:1,000; Stressgen, Victoria, BC, Canada). The membrane was washed four times for 10 min with the initial blocking solution and subsequently treated for 1-2 h with either an anti-rabbit and anti-mouse horseradish peroxidase- conjugated secondary antibody (1:5,000; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA), and the immunoreactive bands were visualized using chemiluminescence (Amersham).

Immunohistochemistry Analysis of Ras in Skeletal Muscle

Frozen sections of soleus muscle from fixed Sprague-Dawley rats were cut longitudinally to 16 µm and mounted on 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (Sigma)-treated slides (Fisher Scientific, Ottawa, Ontario) (1). Mouse monoclonal pan-Ras antibody (recognizes H-, N-, and K-Ras; Calbiochem) was applied at a 1:100 dilution in a medium containing 1% goat serum and 25% PBS 4× and incubated for 24 h at 4°C. The slides were rinsed with a solution containing 5% goat serum, 25% PBS 4×, and 4% Triton. The second antibody, anti-mouse IgG-FITC (Santa Cruz Biotechnology), was then applied at a 1:1,000 dilution in the same medium as the first antibody and incubated for 2 h. Slides were subsequently rinsed with distilled water, dried, and mounted with glycerin. To confirm signal specificity, the second antibody was added in the absence of the primary anti-Ras antibody. In these latter experiments, an immunodetectable signal was not observed.

Statistical Analysis

Data are expressed as means ± SE. Statistical significance (P < 0.05) was assessed using a two-way analysis of variance followed by a Newman-Keuls multiple-comparison test when necessary.


    RESULTS
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Body Weight, Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy, and Contractile Function

Chronic treatment with clenbuterol increased body weight (232 ± 4 g; n = 7; P < 0.05) compared with sham treatment (218 ± 2 g; n = 7). The treatment with BMS-191563 significantly decreased body weight (207 ± 3 g; n = 9; P < 0.05) compared with sham treatment. The decrease in body weight observed with BMS-191563 was not due to a change in eating habit, as the amount of chow consumed per day in this group was similar to sham-treated animals (data not shown). No difference in body weight was observed between clenbuterol/BMS-191563 cotreated rats (232 ± 2 g; n = 9) compared with clenbuterol-treated rats. Clenbuterol administration increased gastrocnemius muscle weight from 543 ± 27 (n = 7) to 603 ± 24 (n = 7) mg muscle/100 g body wt (P < 0.05 vs. sham), which translated into an 11% hypertrophic response. By contrast, clenbuterol treatment had no growth effect in the soleus muscle (sham = 43 ± 3 vs. clenbuterol = 45 ± 3 mg muscle/100 g body wt; n = 7 for sham-treated and treated rats). As for contractile properties, a significant effect of clenbuterol was observed in the contractile and half-relaxation times (Table 1), whereas force generation (data not shown) measured in the MG muscle was unaffected. Treatment with the farnesyltransferase inhibitor BMS-191563 alone did not significantly influence skeletal muscle mass (BMS-191563 = 565 ± 21 mg muscle/100 g body wt; n = 9) or contractile function of the MG muscle (Table 1). The pretreatment of rats with BMS-191563 before the administration of clenbuterol did not alter the subsequent MG hypertrophic response (clenbuterol+BMS-191563 = 601 ± 31 mg muscle/100 g body wt; n = 9) or the associated contractile parameters (Table 1).

                              
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Table 1.   Effect of BMS-191563 and clenbuterol on contractile and half-relaxation times

BMS-191563 Modulation of beta -ADR Downregulation in Skeletal Muscle

A significant decrease in total beta -ADR density was observed with clenbuterol treatment in both the soleus (n = 6) and the MG muscles (n = 6) (Fig. 1). The treatment with BMS-191563 alone had no significant effect on total beta -ADR density (n = 6). However, clenbuterol-mediated receptor downregulation was attenuated in the MG (n = 6) and prevented in the soleus muscle (n = 6) by BMS-191563 pretreatment (Fig. 1).


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Fig. 1.   beta -Adrenergic receptor (beta -ADR) regulation in skeletal muscle and cardiac fibroblasts. A: the treatment with clenbuterol (Clen) decreased total beta -ADR density in the soleus (n = 6) and medial gastrocnemius (MG; n = 6) muscles compared with untreated rats (Con). The treatment with BMS-191563 (BMS) had no significant effect on beta -ADR density in either muscle examined (n = 6 for each muscle). However, the pretreatment with BMS attenuated the agonist-mediated decrease in total beta -ADR density in both the soleus (n = 6) and MG (n = 6) muscles. B: in cultured neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts, isoproterenol (Iso) treatment decreased total beta -ADR density (n = 4 independent cardiac fibroblast preparations). The pretreatment with BMS alone had no effect on total beta -ADR density (n = 4), but inhibited the decrease in receptor density after the chronic exposure to agonist (n = 4). *Significantly different from all values (P < 0.05). §Significantly different from the control value (P < 0.05). +Significantly different from the BMS value (P < 0.05).

BMS-191563 Effect on Agonist-Mediated beta -ADR Downregulation in Cultured Neonatal Rat Cardiac Fibroblasts

Analogous to the MG muscle, the beta 2-adrenergic receptor is the predominant subtype in cultured neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts (20). A 24-h exposure of cardiac fibroblasts to isoproterenol (1 µM) caused a significant decrease in total beta -ADR density (n = 4 independent cardiac fibroblast preparations) (Fig. 1). The pretreatment (4-6 h) with 50 µM BMS-191563 had no effect on total beta -ADR density (n = 4). As observed in skeletal muscle, BMS-191563 treatment inhibited isoproterenol-mediated beta -ADR downregulation (n = 4) (Fig. 1).

BMS-191563 Effect on Ras Distribution in the Soleus Muscle

A putative target of farnesyltransferase is the small GTP-binding protein Ras. The function of both normal and oncogenic Ras has been shown to be absolutely dependent on the physical association to the plasma membrane (18). In the soleus muscle, immunofluorescence experiments demonstrated that immunodetectable Ras was found predominantly at the plasma membrane (Fig. 2). These data were confirmed by Western blot analysis of total soleus lysate, as immunodetectable Ras was found predominantly in the particulate fraction (Fig. 2). Overexposure revealed a very weak signal in the cytosolic fraction (data not shown). By contrast, the mitogen-activated ERK was detected predominantly in the cytosolic fraction. Overexposure revealed a weak signal in the particulate fraction, and only the p44 isoform was detected (data not shown) (Fig. 2). Despite the inhibition of clenbuterol-mediated beta -ADR downregulation by the pretreatment with BMS-191563, this effect was not associated with the redistribution of particulate Ras to the cytosolic fraction.


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Fig. 2.   Ras distribution in the soleus muscle. A: with the use of an immunofluorescence approach, the small GTP-binding protein Ras was detected primarily along the plasma membrane in the soleus muscle (top). Bottom: a phase-contrast photomicrograph of the soleus muscle photographed at ×250 magnification. B: Western blot analysis confirmed this latter finding, as Ras was detected predominantly in the particulate fraction of soleus lysates. By contrast, mitogen-activated extracellular regulated kinase isoforms p44 and p42 were detected predominantly in the cytosolic fraction. The chronic treatment with BMS did not result in the redistribution of particulate Ras to the cytosolic fraction.


    DISCUSSION
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Posttranslational lipid modification by cytosolic prenyltransferases represents an essential feature of several proteins implicated in the homologous desensitization of the beta -ADR (6). The farnesylation of GRKs and/or their subsequent recruitment to the membrane by the beta gamma -dimer, of which the gamma -subunit is either farnesylated or geranylgeranylated, has been implicated in the homologous desensitization of the beta -ADR (6, 8, 27). The farnesyltransferase inhibitor BMS-191563 has been previously shown to inhibit the farnesylation of Ras in cardiac myocytes (4). Moreover, the in vivo administration of BMS-191563 (1 mg/day) in the DOCA-salt hypertensive rat ameliorated mean arterial pressure via the inhibition of Ras activity (24). The present study demonstrated that the in vivo treatment of female rats with BMS-191563 attenuated beta 2-adrenergic agonist-mediated downregulation of beta -ADRs in both the soleus and MG muscles. Consistent with these results, the treatment of cultured neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts with BMS-191563 prevented isoproterenol-mediated beta -ADR downregulation. Thus these data demonstrate the mechanism(s) implicated in agonist-mediated downregulation of the beta -ADR is sensitive to BMS-191563 treatment, thereby suggesting the potential involvement of farnesylated proteins.

As reported previously, this study demonstrated that the chronic administration of clenbuterol promoted MG muscle hypertrophy and altered contractile and half-relaxation times (22, 23). The action of clenbuterol in the gastrocnemius muscle occurred via activation of beta 2-adrenergic receptors (17). Although beta 2-adrenergic receptors have been detected in the soleus muscle, their density may be less than that of other beta -ADR subtypes, such as the beta 3- or the "atypical" beta -adrenergic subtype (28). This disparate distribution pattern of beta -ADR subtypes may in part explain the modest nonsignificant hypertrophic response of the soleus muscle to clenbuterol treatment compared with the MG muscle. In addition, the different fiber makeup of the soleus (slow fibers) and MG (fast fibers) may also contribute to the disparate hypertrophic response elicited by clenbuterol (16). Nonetheless, the chronic administration of clenbuterol resulted in a decrease of total beta -ADR density in both muscle types. On the basis of previous studies regarding agonist-mediated beta -ADR subtype regulation, the decrease in total receptor density in both muscle types most likely reflects the downregulation of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor (3). Treatment with BMS-191563 alone had no significant effect on total beta -ADR density. In addition, BMS-191563 treatment did not modify contractile indexes or the hypertrophic response of the MG muscle after clenbuterol treatment. However, in both muscle types, the pretreatment with BMS-191563 attenuated clenbuterol-mediated beta -ADR downregulation. Analogous to the MG muscle, the beta 2-adrenergic receptor represents the predominant subtype in neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts, whereas neither the "atypical" nor beta 3-adrenergic subtypes were detected (20). Consistent with the presence of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor, the chronic exposure to isoproterenol decreased total beta -ADR density. Moreover, as observed in the soleus and MG muscles, the pretreatment with BMS-191563 prevented isoproterenol-mediated beta -ADR downregulation in the rat cardiac fibroblasts. Collectively, these data support the premise that agonist-mediated beta -ADR downregulation may involve one or more farnesylated proteins.

After a short time (<1 h) exposure to agonist, desensitization of the beta -ADR occurs via the phosphorylation of the receptor by GRKs (12). The GRK-mediated phosphorylation promotes the binding of the regulatory protein beta -arrestin, which in turn uncouples the receptor from the stimulatory G protein, Gs (33). In addition, beta -arrestin binding to the phosphorylated receptor represents a prerequisite event for the subsequent sequestration of the receptor (13, 33). After the long-term (>1 h) exposure to agonist, the beta -ADR is targeted for degradation, a process generally referred to as downregulation (19). In contrast to desensitization and sequestration, the biochemical events linked to receptor downregulation remain to be fully elucidated. At least two studies have suggested a casual link between receptor sequestration and downregulation. Barak and colleagues (2) demonstrated the mutation of arginine 322 of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor abolished both sequestration and downregulation. In support of these latter findings, Gagnon and colleagues (13) recently demonstrated that beta -arrestin-mediated sequestration represented in part a prerequisite event coupled to the subsequent downregulation of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor in HEK293 cells. It has been established that GRK1 represents a putative target of farnesyltransferase, whereas GRK2 and GRK3 are targeted to the plasma membrane by the beta gamma -dimer of heterotrimeric G proteins (8). Moreover, several gamma -subunit isoforms of the beta gamma -dimer are also targets of farnesylation (27). In this regard, farnesyltransferase inhibition may prevent the initial prerequisite events involved in the homologous desensitization of the beta -ADR. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that the biological activity of GRK1 and various beta gamma -dimer combinations are exclusively dependent on prenylation (15, 21, 25). Thus these observations provide a potential mechanism to explain in part the attenuation of agonist-mediated beta -ADR downregulation in both skeletal muscle and isolated cardiac fibroblasts by the farnesyltransferase inhibitor BMS-191563.

The small GTP-binding protein Ras is a putative target of farnesyltransferase, and in cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes, we demonstrated the treatment with BMS-191563 resulted in a redistribution of plasma membrane-bound Ras to the cytoplasm (4, 18). To confirm the efficacy of BMS-191563 in skeletal muscle, the cellular localization of Ras was examined in the soleus muscle. Immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis revealed Ras was predominantly located on the plasma membrane. However, the treatment with BMS-191563 did not result in a redistribution of particulate Ras to the cytosolic fraction, despite the attenuation of agonist-mediated beta -ADR downregulation. By contrast, in cultured neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts, BMS-191563 treatment inhibited Ras farnesylation (7). A possible explanation for the disparate action of BMS-191563 observed between cardiac fibroblasts and skeletal muscle may be linked to a tissue-specific pattern of Ras isoform expression. Recent studies have demonstrated that the N and K isoforms of Ras are substrates for both farnesyl and geranylgeranyl protein transferases (29, 32). Although Ras isoform distribution in either the soleus or gastrocnemius muscles is presently unknown, it is possible the particulate Ras identified in the BMS-191563-treated rats is geranylgeranylated. Indeed, this alternative processing of Ras isoforms has been suggested to contribute in part to the resistance of some cancer cell lines to farnesyltransferase inhibitors (14). An alternative explanation may reside within the intrinsic turnover rate of individual farnesylated proteins, as the proteins implicated in beta -ADR downregulation may have a faster turnover rate of farnesylation compared with Ras and, in this regard, would exhibit a greater sensitivity to the action of BMS-191563. Last, although it is our contention that BMS-191563 has abrogated beta -ADR downregulation via the inhibition of a farnesylated protein, a nonspecific effect of this drug on a nonfarnesylated protein involved in receptor sequestration/downregulation cannot be excluded. Consequently, regardless the mechanism of action, BMS-191563 represents an important pharmacological tool to elucidate the underlying events implicated in beta -ADR downregulation.

Perspectives

This study highlighted a novel action of the farnesyltransferase inhibitor BMS-191563, as this drug attenuated agonist-mediated beta -ADR downregulation in both skeletal muscle and cardiac fibroblasts. These data are consistent with the observation that several well-defined proteins implicated in the homologous desensitization of the beta -ADR are substrates of the enzyme farnesyltransferase. Clinically, a plethora of studies has examined the role and regulation of beta -ADRs in cardiovascular disease states. In the setting of congestive heart failure, enhanced sympathetic activity and the secondary desensitization/downregulation of beta -ADRs in the myocardium have been suggested to contribute in part to diminished cardiac function (30). Moreover, in the setting of hypertension, the loss of vasodilatory and antiproliferative action of the beta -adrenergic system represents an underlying mechanism contributing in part to enhanced vascular tone and adverse remodeling (9). In this regard, counteracting beta -ADR downregulation may represent a therapeutic approach to partially ameliorate various cardiac disease states. Thus, based on the observations of the present study, additional studies examining the potential therapeutic benefit of BMS-191563 and/or an alternative farnesyltransferase inhibitor on beta -ADR reactivity in animal models of cardiac disease warrants further investigation. However, because of the growth-suppressing action of farnesyltransferase inhibitors in numerous cell types (4, 7, 31), identifying the specific farnesylated target(s) of BMS-191563 is crucial to selectively inhibit beta -ADR downregulation. These latter data may provide the impetus to design pharmacological strategies that could directly abrogate beta -ADR downregulation in vivo.


    ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The contributions of R. J. L. Murphy (School of Recreation and Management and Kinesiology, Acadia University, Nova Scotia); J.-L. Gauthier, P. Corriveau (Dept. of Kinesiology, University of Montreal), and F. Colombo (Institut de Cardiologie de Montreal) are gratefully acknowledged. We also want to thank C.. Laurent (Dept. of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal) for assistance.


    FOOTNOTES

Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: A. Calderone, Institut de Cardiologie, 5000 rue Bélanger E, Montréal, Québec, Canada H1T 1C8 (E-mail: calderon{at}icm.umontreal.ca).

The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

10.1152/ajpregu.00274.2001

Received 15 May 2001; accepted in final form 2 October 2001.


    REFERENCES
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ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

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Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 282(1):R317-R322
0363-6119/02 $5.00 Copyright © 2002 the American Physiological Society



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