Recent studies have shown that beta 2-adrenergic receptor (beta 2-AR)-stimulated increases in the intracellular Ca2+ (Cai) transient and contraction in cardiac myocytes are dissociated from the increase in adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) level and are not accompanied by an increase in phospholamban phosphorylation, an acceleration in relaxation, or a reduction in myofilament Ca2+ response. Thus we hypothesized that the beta 2-AR modulation of cardiac excitation-contraction (EC) coupling may be mediated by either a cAMP-independent mechanism or a compartmentalized cAMP pathway. To directly distinguish between these two possibilities, the responses of the L-type Ca2+ current (ICa), Cai transient, and contraction to beta 2-AR as well as to beta 1-AR stimulation were examined in rat ventricular myocytes in the presence or absence of specific inhibitory cAMP analogs, Rp diastereomers of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphothioate (Rp-cAMPS) and 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP (Rp-CPT-cAMPS). As expected, the positive inotropic effect induced by an adenylyl cyclase activator, forskolin (2 x 10(-7) M), or a beta 1-AR agonist, norepinephrine (5 x 10(-8) M) plus prazosin (10(-6) M), was completely blocked by Rp-CPT-cAMPS. More importantly, the responses of ICa, Cai transient, and contraction to beta 2-AR stimulation by zinterol (10(-5) M) or isoproterenol plus a selective beta 1-AR antagonist, CGP-20712A, were also entirely abolished by Rp-cAMPS (in the patch-pipette solution) or Rp-CPT-cAMPS (in the bath solution). In pertussis toxin-treated cells, although the response of cAMP was not altered, the beta 2-AR-stimulated increase in contraction amplitude was markedly enhanced and accompanied by a hastened relaxation, resulting in a tight association between cAMP and contraction. These results indicate that beta 2-AR modulation of cardiac excitation-contraction coupling requires cAMP. The dissociation of beta 2-AR-stimulated cAMP production and regulation of myofilament and sarcoplasmic reticulum functions is attributable to a functional compartmentation of the cAMP-dependent signaling due to an activation of beta 2-AR-coupled Gi and/or G(o).