Potential Benefits of Therapeutic Use of β2-Adrenergic Receptor Agonists in Neuroprotection and Parkinsonμs Disease

The β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) is a seven-transmembrane (7TM) G-protein coupled receptor that is expressed on cells of the pulmonary, cardiac, skeletal muscle, and immune systems. Previous work has shown that stimulation of this receptor on immune cells has profound effects on the regulatory activity of both adaptive and innate immune cells. This review examines the functional dichotomy associated with stimulation of β2AR and microglial cells. As well, recent studies targeting these receptors with long-acting agonists are considered with respect to their therapeutic potential in management of Parkinsonμs disease.