Hypertension
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Sympathetic nerve activity increases in the heart during cardiac failure. Here, we hypothesized that beta1 integrins play a protective role in chronic beta-adrenergic receptor-stimulated cardiac myocyte apoptosis and heart failure. L-isoproterenol (iso; 400 microg/kg per hour) was infused in a group of wild-type (WT) and beta1 integrin heterozygous knockout (hKO) mice. ⋯ Iso-infusion increased phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 in both groups. The increase in c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation was significantly higher in hKO-iso (P<0.001 versus WT-iso). Thus, beta1 integrins play a crucial role in beta-adrenergic receptor-stimulated myocardial remodeling with effects on cardiac myocyte hypertrophy, apoptosis, and left ventricular function.