Prolonged isoproterenol infusion impairs the ability of β2-agonists to increase alveolar liquid clearance

Abstract

We determined if prolonged isoproterenol (Iso) infusion in rats impaired the ability of the β2-adrenergic agonist terbutaline to increase alveolar liquid clearance (ALC). We infused rats with Iso (at rates of 4, 40, or 400 μg · kg−1 · h−1) or vehicle (0.001 N HCl) for 48 h using subcutaneously implanted miniosmotic pumps. After this time, the rats were anesthetized, and ALC was determined (by mass-balance after instillation of Ringer lactate containing albumin into the lungs) under baseline conditions and after terbutaline administration. Baseline and terbutaline-stimulated ALC in vehicle-infused rats averaged, respectively, 19.6 ± 1.2% (SE) and 44.7 ± 1.5%/h. The ability of terbutaline to increase ALC was eliminated at 400 μg · kg−1 · h−1 Iso, inhibited by 26% at 40 μg · kg−1 · h−1 Iso, and was not affected by 4 μg · kg−1 · h−1 Iso. β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) density of freshly isolated alveolar epithelial type II (ATII) cells from Iso-infused rats was reduced by the 40 and 400 μg · kg−1 · h−1 infusion rates. These data demonstrate that prolonged exposure to β-agonists can impair the ability of β2-agonists to stimulate ALC and produce ATII cell βAR downregulation.