Objective:To observe the relationship between overexpressed β1-AR and the contractile amplitude in rat heart failure ventricular myocytes. Methods:Heart failure model was made with isoprenaline. Then,ventricular myocytes were isolated,cultured and infected with adenoviruses containing the sequence for human β1-adrenoceptor. The contents of β1-AR and the single ventricular myocytes contraction amplitudes were tested after the cells were infected with adenoviruses for 24 h. Results:The content in heart failure group was lower than that in control group. Overexpression of β1-AR markedly increased the content. The isoprenaline-stimulated contraction amplitudes in failure group were significantly lower than that in control group. Overexpression of β1-AR improved the contraction amplitudes. Selective β1-AR antagonist CGP20712A descended the isoprenaline-stimulated contraction amplitudes in heart failure myocytes infected with or without adenoviruses. Selective β2-adrenoceptor antagonist ICI118,551 partially decreased the contraction amplitude in heart failure myocytes infected with or without adenoviruses. Conclusion:The results suggested that overexpression of β1-AR increase the contraction amplitude in heart failure myocytes. The effect was directly related to β1-AR. β2-AR participated in the isoprenaline-stimulated contraction amplitudes.