Mapping of a functional autoimmune epitope on the beta 1-adrenergic receptor in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The presence and properties of serum autoantibodies against beta-adrenergic receptors in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy were studied using synthetic peptides derived from the predicted sequences of the human beta-adrenergic receptors. Peptides corresponding to the sequences of the second extracellular loop of the human beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors were used as antigens in an enzyme immunoassay to screen sera from patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (n = 42), ischemic heart disease (n = 17), or healthy blood donors (n = 34). The sera of thirteen dilated cardiomyopathy patients, none of the ischemic heart disease patients, and four of the healthy controls monospecifically recognized the beta 1-peptide. Only affinity-purified antibodies of these patients had a inhibitory effect on radioligand binding to the beta 1 receptor of C6 rat glioma cells. They recognized the receptor protein by immunoblot and bound in situ to human myocardial tissue. We conclude that a subgroup of patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy have in their sera autoantibodies specifically directed against the second extracellular loop of the beta 1-adrenergic receptor. These antibodies could serve as a marker of an autoimmune response with physiological and/or pathological implications. 