Elsevier

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 242, Issue 1, 6 February 1998, Pages 37-40
Neuroscience Letters

Adrenergic agonists suppress the proliferation of microglia through β2-adrenergic receptor

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3940(98)00003-2Get rights and content

Abstract

The effects of several cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-elevating agents on the proliferation of cultured rat microglia were investigated by immunocytochemical staining with an antibody against proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Epinephrine, isoproterenol, forskolin and 8Br-cAMP suppressed the microglial proliferation. A β2-selective agonist terbutaline but not a β1-selective agonist dobutamine mimicked the effect of the above cAMP-elevating agents. Furthermore, a non-selective β-receptor antagonist oxprenolol and a β2-selective antagonist acebutalol, but not a β1-selective antagonist butoxamine, counteracted the suppressive effects of the β-agonists on microglial proliferation. These findings suggest that the β-agonists suppress the proliferation of microglia by elevating intracellular cAMP level through an action on β2-adrenergic receptor.

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Acknowledgements

This study was partly supported by grants from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan.

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