Chronic effects of catecholamines on the beta2-adrenoreceptor system in cultured human airway epithelial cells

The effects of prolonged isotoproterenol incubation of bronchial epithelial cells on the density of beta-adrenoceptors (betaAR) and betaAR protein degradation were analyzed in BEAS-2B cell lines. Maintained exposure of BEAS-2B cells to Iso, forskolin and dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate induced significant betaAR downregulation. However, incubation of BEAS-2B cells in Iso did not alter the basal levels of beta2AR messenger RNA.