Modulation of the beta-adrenergic control of cardiac L-type Ca2+ current (Ica) by human recombinant interleukin-1 beta (IL-1) was examined in adult guinea pig ventricular myocytes using the whole cell voltage-clamp technique. ICa was elicited in Cs(+)-loaded myocytes by depolarizing pulses from a holding potential of -40 mV. Isoproterenol (0.01 and 1 microM) exposed to myocytes pretreated with 1 ng/ml IL-1 evoked a significantly smaller increase in ICa density compared with control cells. This IL-1-mediated decrease in beta-responsiveness was usually observed with pretreatment periods of > 1 h and varied as a function of the L-arginine concentration of the pretreatment medium. In addition, it was prevented by 1) IL-1 receptor antagonist, 2) substituting D-arginine for L-arginine, or 3) incubating cells with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine. Thus the present data illustrate that IL-1 significantly alters the beta-adrenergic control of cardiac Ca2+ channels by cellular mechanisms that involve the activation of nitric oxide synthase. These mechanisms may play a role in altering ventricular function during cytokine-mediated inflammatory processes affecting the heart.