Current Issue

The role of β₂-adrenergic receptors in ischemic stroke

ZHANG Shuang^1,2, WANG Ke³, WANG Yue^1,2, LIU Qian-Qian^1,2, HE Zhi^1,2,3,*

¹Third-grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Traditional Chinese Medicine, National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China；²Health Medical College, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China；³Jiaxing University College of Medicine, Jiaxing 314000, China

Abstract

Ischemic stroke is a common cerebrovascular disease with an increasing incidence year by year, and it remains one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. The β₂-adrenergic receptor (β₂-AR), a member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, functions on the cell membrane by binding to specific ligands such as epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE), thereby regulating intracellular signal transduction. Recent studies have revealed that the β₂-AR signaling pathway exerts multifaceted neuroprotective effects on ischemic stroke, including promoting the secretion of neurotrophic factors, mitigating inflammatory responses, inhibiting apoptosis, reducing excitotoxicity, and repairing the blood-brain barrier. Furthermore, research suggests that β₂-AR activation plays a role in post-stroke pneumonia. Additionally, β₂-AR gene polymorphisms have been significantly associated with the risk of ischemic stroke. This article reviews the mechanisms of the β₂-AR signaling pathway in ischemic stroke, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation for the prevention and treatment of this condition.

Key words: β2-adrenergic receptor; ischemic stroke; neuroprotection; mechanism of action

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 何治　　E-mail:

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2025.0110

Citing This Article：

ZHANG Shuang, WANG Ke, WANG Yue, LIU Qian-Qian, HE Zhi. The role of β₂-adrenergic receptors in ischemic stroke. Acta Physiol Sin 2026; 78 (2): 270-282 (in Chinese with English abstract).