Pindolol is a beta adrenoceptor antagonist and partial agonist used to treat hypertension, edema, ventricular tachycardias, and atrial fibrillation. It can be found under the bran names Viskazide and Visken and is administered as an oral tablet. Once pindolol is administered and it binds to the beta-2 adrenergic receptor, the G protein signalling cascade begins. The alpha and beta/gamma subunits of the G protein separate and GDP is replaced with GTP on the alpha subunit. This alpha subunit then activates adenylyl cyclase which converts ATP to cAMP. cAMP then activates protein kinase A (PKA) which in turn phosphorylates targets and inhibits MLCK through decreased calcium levels causing muscle relaxation. PKA can phosphorylate certain Gq-coupled receptors as well as phospholipase C (PLC) and thereby inhibit G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) -PLC-mediated phosphoinositide (PI) generation, and thus calcium flux. PKA phosphorylates the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor to reduce its affinity for IP3 and further limit calcium mobilization. PKA phosphorylates myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and decreases its affinity to calcium calmodulin, thus reducing activity and myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation. PKA also phosphorylates KCa++ channels in ASM, increasing their open-state probability (and therefore K+ efflux) and promoting hyperpolarization. Since myosine light chain kinase is not activated, Serine/threonine-protein phosphatase continues to dephosphorylate myosin LC-P, and more cannot be synthesized so myosin remains unbound from actin causing muscle relaxation. This muscle relaxation of the vascular smooth muscle causes the blood vessels to dilate and allows for the lowering of blood pressure. Possible side effects of using pindolol may include dizziness, lightheadedness, tiredness, and upset stomach.

Pindolol B2-Adrenergic Vasodilation Pathway References