Lack of specificity of antibodies directed against human beta-adrenergic receptors

The present study was designed to investigate if antibodies against beta-adrenergic receptors (beta ARs) can be used to determine expression of beta AR in human myocardium. Western blotting was performed to investigate the specificity of antibodies directed against beta(1)AR and beta(2)AR in human left ventricular tissue. A comparison was made between cardiac tissue from patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and ischemic heart disease and nonfailing donors. The antibodies directed against beta(1)AR and beta(2)AR recognized several protein bands at different molecular weights. Moreover, both antibodies also recognized multiple proteins in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing beta(1)AR, beta(2)AR, and even beta(3)AR. beta AR antibodies are not specific and are not suited to study expression of beta AR in human myocardium.