Alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation and beta 2-adrenergic inhibition of DNA synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Effects of catecholamines on DNA synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) were investigated in a chemically defined medium that included insulin, transferrin, and sodium selenite. Smooth muscle-rich preparation was obtained from rat aortic media and VSMC were further purified by cell cloning. A clone that was positive for smooth muscle actin and was negative for the coagulation factor VIII was used in this study. The fetal calf serum-induced proliferation was enhanced by alpha-adrenergic and inhibited by beta-adrenergic stimulation. When cells of low passages were used, dose-response curves for norepinephrine were biphasic; when cells were subconfluent, norepinephrine stimulated DNA synthesis at as low as 1 nM and was apparently ineffective at more than 100 nM. When cells were confluent, the effect of norepinephrine was inhibitory at lower concentrations (less than 1 nM) and stimulatory at relatively higher concentrations. Cells of higher passages exhibited only inhibitory effects of the amine. Stimulatory and inhibitory effects on DNA synthesis were mediated through alpha 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors, respectively. Thus, the alpha 1-agonist phenylephrine was more potent than the alpha 2-agonist clonidine in stimulating DNA synthesis. An alpha 1-adrenergic antagonist, prazosin, was more effective than the alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist yohimbine in antagonizing the stimulatory effect of norepinephrine. beta-Adrenergic agonists inhibited DNA synthesis with IC50 values in the nanomolar range; the rank order of potency of agonists was isoproterenol greater than salbutamol greater than or equal to (-)-epinephrine much greater than (-)-norepinephrine, consistent with beta 2-receptor specificity. (+)-Epinephrine or (+)-norepinephrine, the stereoisomers of the catecholamines, were ineffective. The inhibitory effects of norepinephrine were reversed by beta-adrenergic antagonists, with the rank order of potency of pindolol greater than butoxamine greater than atenolol, consistent with beta 2-receptor specificity. The dose-response curves of norepinephrine, therefore, seemed to be determined by a balance between alpha 1-receptor-mediated stimulation and beta 2-receptor-mediated inhibition of DNA synthesis. Minimum time required for exhibiting alpha 1-adrenergic or beta 2-adrenergic effects was between 6 and 15 hr, suggesting that the G0 or G1 phase of the cell cycle might be the site of action. These results show that catecholamines dually modulate DNA synthesis in VSMC through specific adrenergic receptors.