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We performed in vitro and in vivo experiments to evaluate the pharmacological profile of ritobegron and its effects on the bladder in rats. β(3)-AR selectivity was assessed using CHO cells expressing various subtypes of the human β-adrenoceptor (AR). Effects on isolated organs were evaluated using the organ-bath method. Effects on intravesical pressure, heart rate, and mean blood pressure were evaluated in urethane-anesthetized rats. Ritobegron increased cAMP accumulation in a concentration-dependent manner in CHO cells expressing any one of three human β-AR, its selectivity for β(3)-AR being 301-fold and 32-fold higher versus β(1)-AR and β(2)-AR, respectively. Ritobegron decreased the resting tension of the isolated bladder in a concentration-dependent manner (EC(50), 7.7 × 10(-8) mol/L; maximal relaxation, 97.0 %), and the β(3)-AR antagonist SR58894A produced a parallel rightward-shift of this concentration-response curve without altering the maximal response [pK(B) value, 6.43]. Ritobegron concentration-dependently increased atrial rate and decreased myometrial contractions in vitro, and its selectivity for the bladder was 2,078-fold higher versus the atria and 14-fold higher versus the uterus. In vivo, ritobegron induced a dose-dependent decrease in intravesical pressure (ED(50) 0.4 mg/kg), without affecting heart rate and only slightly lowering mean blood pressure. Thus, ritobegron displayed potent and selective β(3)-AR agonistic activity toward transfected human β-AR and exhibited a high selectivity for the bladder versus other organs in rats. Moreover, it decreased intravesical pressure with minimal effects on the cardiovascular system in anesthetized rats. These results suggest that ritobegron shows promise as a potential agent for the treatment of overactive bladder.

The aim of this study was to determine the role of β(3)-adrenoceptors in the action of endogenous catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline) on rat retinal arterioles in vivo. Using an original high-resolution digital fundus camera, the rat ocular fundus images were captured. The diameter of retinal arterioles contained in the images was measured. Both systemic blood pressure and heart rate were recorded continuously. Adrenaline (0.3-5.0 μg/kg/min, i.v.) increased the diameter of retinal arterioles, mean blood pressure and heart rate in a dose-dependent manner. Under blockade of β(1)/β(2)-adrenoceptors with propranolol (2 mg/kg, i.v. bolus followed by 100 μg/kg/min infusion), adrenaline decreased the diameter of retinal arterioles. Similar observation was made under treatment with the β(3)-adrenoceptor antagonist L-748337 (50 μg/kg, i.v.). The pressor response to adrenaline was enhanced by propranolol, but not by L-748337. The positive chronotropic action of adrenaline was markedly prevented by propranolol, whereas it was unaffected by L-748337. Noradrenaline (0.03-1.0 μg/kg/min, i.v.) decreased the diameter of retinal arterioles but increased the mean blood pressure and heart rate. The effects of noradrenaline on retinal arteriolar diameter and blood pressure were unaffected by propranolol or L-748337. The positive chronotropic action of noradrenaline was almost completely abolished by propranolol. These results suggest that β(3)-adrenoceptors play crucial roles in vasodilator responses to adrenaline of retinal arterioles but have minor or no effect on noradrenaline-induced responses. The results also indicate that the functional role of β(3)-adrenoceptors may be more important than that in peripheral resistance vessels.

The aim of this study was to examine whether stimulation of beta(3)-adrenoceptors dilates rat retinal blood vessels and how diabetes affects the vasodilator responses. Images of ocular fundus were captured with an original high-resolution digital fundus camera in vivo. The retinal vascular responses were evaluated by measuring diameter of retinal blood vessels contained in the digital images. Both systemic blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were continuously recorded. The beta(3)-adrenoceptor agonist CL316243 (0.3-10 microg/kg/min, i.v.) increased diameter of retinal arterioles (at 10 microg/kg/min, a 31% increase) and decreased mean blood pressure (at 10 microg/kg/min, a 21% decrease) in a dose-dependent manner. CL316243 produced a small but significant increase in HR (at 10 microg/kg/min, a 9% increase). Both SR59230A (1 mg/kg, i.v.) and L-748337 (50 microg/kg, i.v.), beta(3)-adrenoceptor antagonists, significantly prevented CL316243-induced retinal vasodilator responses. Similar observations were made with another beta(3)-adrenoceptor agonist, BRL37344. The beta(2)-adrenoceptor agonist salbutamol also increased diameter of retinal arterioles (at 10 microg/kg/min, a 43% increase), whereas the drug produced greater decrease in blood pressure (at 10 microg/kg/min, a 46% decrease) and increase in HR (at 10 microg/kg/min, a 16% increase), compared with beta(3)-adrenoceptor agonists. The retinal vasodilator responses to CL316243 and BRL37344 observed under blockade of beta(1)/beta(2)-adrenoceptors with propranolol (2 mg/kg, i.v. bolus followed by 100 microg/kg/min infusion) were unaffected 2 weeks after induction of diabetes by the combination of streptozotocin treatment and D: -glucose feeding. On the other hand, the vasodilator responses to salbutamol of retinal arterioles were significantly reduced in diabetic rats. These results suggest that stimulation of beta(3)-adrenoceptors causes the vasodilation of retinal arterioles in vivo and the vasodilator responses are unaffected at the early stage of diabetes.