alpha(1)-Adrenoceptor pharmacome: alpha(1L)-Adrenoceptor and alpha(1A)-adrenoceptor in the lower urinary tract

alpha(1)-Adrenoceptors are involved in physiological functions such as urinary excretion and ejaculation in the lower urinary tract (LUT). Several alpha(1) antagonists are clinically used for the treatment of urinary obstruction in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. At present, three classical alpha(1)-adrenoceptor subtypes (alpha(1A), alpha(1B), and alpha(1D)) have been identified, among which the alpha(1A) and alpha(1D)-adrenoceptor subtypes have been regarded as the main targets of alpha(1) antagonist therapy for LUT symptoms. Prazosin has been used as a prototypic, classical antagonist, to characterize alpha(1)-adrenoceptors pharmacologically, (i.e. all classical alpha(1)-adrenoceptor subtypes show high-affinity for the drug). However, we found that alpha(1)-adrenoceptors in the LUT show atypical low-affinity for prazosin. Therefore, the concept alpha(1L)-receptor, which indicates alpha(1)-adrenoceptor(s) showing low-affinity for prazosin has been introduced. A recent study demonstrated that the alpha(1L)-adrenoceptor is a specific phenotype present in the many intact tissues including human LUT, and that it originates from the ADRA1A gene. Therefore, the alpha(1L)-adrenoceptor in the LUT is now re-defined as alpha(1A(L))-adrenoceptor. The physiological and pharmacological difference between classical alpha(1A(H),) and alpha(1A(L)) which is the native receptor expressed in the LUT is of special interest as it provides fundamental bases for urological alpha(1A)-adrenoceptor blocking pharmacotherapy. Here, we briefly review the alpha(1)-adrenoceptors in the LUT with special reference to phenotype-based (pharmacome) analysis.