Evidence for coexistence of three beta-adrenoceptor subtypes in human peripheral lymphocytes

Peripheral circulating lymphocytes are easily accessible cells for investigating changes in ß-adrenergic receptors (ADRBs) in humans, but previous reports indicate that these cells only express ADRB2. This study aimed to investigate whether ADRB1 and ADRB3 were expressed in peripheral lymphocytes and the changes of ADRBs in congestive heart failure. Our study demonstrates that ADRB1, ADRB2, and ADRB3 coexist in human peripheral lymphocytes, with differential binding property and expression level. Patients with congestive heart failure had significantly decreased total ADRB density and mRNA levels of ADRB1 and ADRB2 genes, but not ADRB3, compared with healthy subjects. The levels of mRNA of ADRB1 and ADRB2 in peripheral lymphocytes from patients with congestive heart disease were significantly increased after drug treatment. Our study, for the first time, indicates that human peripheral lymphocytes coexpress ADRB1, ADRB2, and ADRB3, which has important implications for precisely predicting clinical response to drug therapy in congestive heart failure.