Gender-specific alteration of adrenergic responses in small femoral arteries from estrogen receptor-β knockout mice

Estrogen receptor-beta knockout mice become hypertensive as they age, and males have a higher blood pressure than females. We hypothesized that the absence of estrogen receptor-beta may contribute to development of cardiovascular dysfunction by modification of adrenergic responsiveness in the peripheral vasculature. Small femoral arteries (internal diameter <200 mu m) were isolated from estrogen receptor-beta knockout and wild-type mice and mounted on a wire myograph. Concentration-response curves to phenylephrine and norepinephrine were compared and the contribution of adrenoceptor subtypes established using specific agonists and antagonists. The involvement of endothelial factors in the modulation of resting tone was also investigated and immunohistochemical analysis used to confirm the presence or absence of estrogen receptor expression. Compared with wild type, arteries from estrogen receptor-beta knockout mate, but not female, mice demonstrated gender-specific enhancement of the response to phenylephrine (alpha(1)-adrenoceptor agonist), which was accompanied by elevated basal tension attributable to endothelial factors. Contractile responses to the mixed adrenoceptor agonist norepinephrine did not differ significantly between estrogen receptor-beta knockout and wild type; however, beta-adrenoceptor inhibition unmasked an enhanced underlying alpha(1)-adrenoceptor responsiveness in estrogen receptor-beta knockout males. beta-adrenoceptor-mediated dilatation was also enhanced in estrogen receptor-beta knockout versus wild-type males. We suggest that estrogen receptor-beta modifies the adrenergic control of small artery tone in males but not in females.