Role of beta1- and beta3-adrenoceptors in the regulation of lipolysis and thermogenesis in rat brown adipocytes

To evaluate the physiological functions of beta1-, beta2-, and beta3-adrenoceptors (ARs) in brown adipose tissue, the lipolytic and respiratory effects of various adrenergic agonists and antagonists were studied in rat brown adipocytes. The beta-agonists stimulated both lipolysis and respiration (8-10 times above basal levels), with the following order of potency (concentration eliciting 50% of maximum response): CL-316243 (beta3) > BRL-37344 (beta3) > isoproterenol (mainly beta1/beta2) > norepinephrine (NE; mainly beta1/beta2) > epinephrine (mainly beta1/beta2) >> dobutamine (beta1) >> procaterol (beta2). Schild plot coefficients of competitive inhibition experiments using ICI-89406 (beta1 antagonist) revealed that more than one type of receptor mediates NE action. It is concluded from our results that 1) NE, at low plasma levels (1-25 nM), stimulates lipolysis and respiration mainly through beta1-ARs, 2) NE, at higher levels, stimulates lipolysis and respiration via both beta1- and beta3-ARs, 3) beta2-ARs play only a minor role, and 4) beta3-ARs may represent the physiological receptors for the high NE concentrations in the synaptic cleft, where the high-affinity beta1-ARs are presumably desensitized. It is also suggested that lipolysis represents the flux-generating step regulating mitochondrial respiration.