The cardiac β2-adrenergic signalling a new role for the cPLA2

The cardiac actions of catecholamines have long been attributed to the predominant β1-AR subtype that couples to the classical Gs/AC/cAMP pathway. Recent research clearly indicates that cardiac β2-ARs play a functional role in healthy heart and assume increasing importance in failing and aged heart. β2-ARs are primarily coupled to an atypical compartmentalized cAMP pathway, regulated by phosphorylation and/or oligomerization of β2-ARs, and under the control of additional β2-AR/Gi-coupled lipidic pathways, the impact of which seems to vary depending on the animal species, the developmental and pathophysiological state. This review focuses, more especially, on one of the last identified β2-AR/Gi pathway, namely the cPLA2.