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Brain 'ouabain,' sodium, and arterial baroreflex in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

To assess the possible role of brain "ouabain" in modulating arterial baroreflex function in salt-sensitive hypertension, arterial baroreflex control of renal sympathetic nerve activity and heart rate was evaluated in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats and compared with that in Wistar-Kyoto rats. A regular sodium or high sodium diet was provided from 5 to 9 weeks of age, with intracerebroventricular infusion of antibody Fab fragments, which bind ouabainlike substances with high affinity, or, as control, nonspecific gamma-globulins (200 micrograms.12 microL-1.d-1 for both). Baroreflex function was assessed by plotting changes in renal sympathetic nerve activity or heart rate against changes in mean arterial pressure by phenylephrine and nitroprusside. In control Wistar-Kyoto rats, high sodium intake did not increase resting blood pressure but sensitized baroreflex control of renal sympathetic nerve activity. In control spontaneously hypertensive rats, high sodium intake significantly increased blood pressure but did not enhance renal sympathetic nerve activity responses. However, in spontaneously hypertensive rats given high sodium diets and treated with Fab fragments, blood pressure did not increase and the baroreflex control of renal sympathetic nerve activity was sensitized significantly. We conclude that in spontaneously hypertensive rats, increase of central "ouabain" by high sodium intake prevents an increase in the sensitivity of arterial baroreflex control of renal sympathetic nerve activity, as observed in Wistar-Kyoto rats on high sodium diets.

Animals↗

Atrial natriuretic peptide blunts arterial baroreflex in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We and other laboratories have reported that arterial baroreflex-mediated control of heart rate is blunted in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) compared with normotensive controls. Recently, we reported that atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) microinjected into the caudal nucleus tractus solitarii of SHR further blunts this defect. The present study tested the hypothesis that ANP modulates arterial baroreflex-mediated control of sympathetic nervous system activity. Nine-week-old, male SHR (n = 29) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto control rats (n = 24) were instrumented for microinjection into the caudal nucleus tractus solitarii and for direct measurement of arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and lumbar sympathetic nervous system activity. After urethane- and alpha-chloralose-induced induced anesthesia, arterial baroreflex-mediated control of heart rate and lumbar sympathetic nerve activity was assessed during phenylephrine- (5 to 40 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) induced increases and sodium nitroprusside- (15 to 300 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) induced decreases in mean blood pressure before and after microinjection of ANP (50 ng) or monoclonal antibody to ANP (0.55 micrograms) into the caudal nucleus tractus solitarii. ANP reduced and the antibody enhanced the sensitivity of baroreflex-mediated control of both heart rate and lumbar sympathetic nerve activity in SHR but not in Wistar-Kyoto controls (P < .05). Arterial baroreflex sensitivity was unchanged with control microinjections of vehicle or mouse IgG in SHR. These data suggest that endogenous ANP in the caudal nucleus tractus solitarii may contribute to the development and/or maintenance of hypertension in SHR by blunting baroreflex-mediated control of sympathetic nervous system activity.

Animals↗

Baroreflex control of heart rate and cardiac hypertrophy in angiotensin II-induced hypertension in rabbits.

The cardiac hypertrophy observed in hypertension is thought to be responsible for the accompanying deficiency in the baroreflex control of heart rate. In this study, we assessed the baroreflex relationship between heart rate and arterial pressure on a group of seven rabbits during a normotensive period, during the early phase of angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertension II week) (50 ng/kg per minute i.v. via osmotic minipumps), after 7 weeks of continuous hypertension, then 2 days after Ang II was stopped, and finally 7 days after Ang II. Left ventricles were weighed for measurement of left ventricular weight-body weight ratio. One week of intravenous Ang II infusion produced hypertension (mean arterial pressure from 80 +/- 2 up to 115 +/- 8 mm Hg), with significantly increased heart rate and hematocrit. The heart rate-arterial pressure baroreflex curve was shifted to the right, with a significant 45% reduction in the gain of the reflex (-6.4 +/- 1.5 to -3.5 +/- 0.2 beats per minute/mm Hg). After 7 weeks of Ang II, arterial pressure was still elevated (112 +/- 4 mm Hg) and the gain of the baroreflex curve still somewhat attenuated, although it was no longer markedly different from normotensive levels (gain, -5.09 +/- 0.95, 20% reduction from normotensive level). Two days after the Ang II infusion was stopped, arterial pressure had returned to normotensive levels, although hematocrit and heart rate remained elevated. At this time, the baroreflex curve was similar to prehypertensive control levels, with no further changes when measured again 7 days after Ang II. Cardiac hypertrophy was present when measured at 7 days after angiotensin (left ventricular weight-body weight ratio: 1.78 +/- 0.05 versus 1.35 +/- 0.04 g/kg, hypertensive versus normotensive, P < .05). Thus, although Ang II infusion produced an initial deficit in the baroreflex control of heart rate, this effect became less as the hypertension continued. Furthermore, although cardiac hypertrophy developed, its presence did not appear to be sufficient to produce a decrease in barosensitivity independent of raised arterial pressure.

Angiotensin II↗

Uncoupling of the baroreflex by N(N)-cholinergic blockade in dissecting the components of cardiovascular regulation.

Systemic administration of adrenergic agonists and nitric oxide donors is used extensively to determine cardiovascular receptor sensitivity. Conclusions regarding receptor sensitivity in the presence of the baroreflex may be misleading. In 8 normal volunteers, we determined the heart rate and blood pressure changes after incremental bolus doses of isoproterenol, phenylephrine, and sodium nitroprusside before and during neuronal nicotinic cholinergic (N(N)-cholinergic) blockade with trimethaphan. Results are given as median (25th/75th percentile). With trimethaphan, the baroreflex slope (as determined by bolus doses of nitroprusside and phenylephrine) decreased from 24 (22/26) to 0.00 (0.00/0.09) ms/mm Hg (P<0.01). The dose of isoproterenol that decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) 12.5 mm Hg changed from 0.61 (0.51/5.3) to 0.17 (0.12/0.21) microg (P<0.01); the dose required to increase heart rate 12.5 bpm changed from 0.22 (0.17/0.41) to 0.74 (0.33/2.3) microg (P<0.01). The dose of nitroprusside required to decrease SBP 12.5 mm Hg changed from 2.3 (1.3/3.4) to 0.18 (0.14/0.24) microg/kg (P<0.01). The dose of phenylephrine required to increase SBP 12.5 mm Hg changed from 135 (110/200) to 16 (10/30) microg (P<0.01). We conclude that the efferent arc of the baroreflex can be completely interrupted with N(N)-cholinergic blockade. Estimation of adrenoreceptor sensitivity and sensitivity to nitric oxide donors by systemic administration of agonists is severely confounded by baroreflexes. Uncoupling of the baroreflex by N(N)-cholinergic blockade may be a useful method to obtain an integrated measure of adrenergic receptor sensitivity and sensitivity to nitric oxide donors in humans. This approach would permit the comparison of normal and abnormal physiological states without the "noise" of baroreflex buffering.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

Depressed baroreflex sensitivity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Muscle nerve sympathetic activity (MSA), the interval between two R-waves in the ECG, or the interbeat interval (RR-interval), and blood pressure (BP) were recorded in 10 awake patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and in nine sex- and age-matched controls. Changes in RR-interval and MSA, evoked by sodium nitroprusside-induced reduction of BP, were used to quantitate baroreflex sensitivity. Both the cardiac (expressed as the RR-interval versus mean arterial BP slope) and the muscle sympathetic (mean MSA area versus diastolic BP slope) baroreflex sensitivity were depressed in patients as compared with controls. Cardiac baroreflex slope sensitivity (expressed as a regression coefficient) was 5.5 +/- 1.2 (mean +/- SEM) in patients and 9.6 +/- 0.96 in controls (p < 0.05). The corresponding figures for the sympathetic slope sensitivity were -4.9 +/- 0.9 and -13.1 +/- 2.3, respectively (p < 0.05). Differences remained after stepwise correction for age, body mass index (BMI), and to some extent BP. Resting MSA correlated with cardiac (r = 0.67, p < 0.003) and sympathetic (r = 0.56, p < 0.025) baroreflex sensitivity in the entire study group. We conclude that OSA patients exhibit an impaired baroreflex sensitivity to a hypotensive stimulus, which may represent an adaptive response to changes in BP or hypoxemia occurring in association with nocturnal apneas. Baroreflex adaptation may also contribute to the augmentation of resting MSA observed in OSA patients in this as well as in a previous study.

Adult↗

Continuous positive airway pressure treatment improves baroreflex control of heart rate during sleep in severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

The role of the arterial baroreflex in the cardiovascular changes associated with the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), and the effect of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on baroreflex function during sleep are unknown. Baroreflex control of heart rate was studied in 29 normotensive patients with OSAS under no treatment, in 11 age-matched control subjects, and in 10 patients at CPAP withdrawal after 5.5 +/- 3.7 (range 3-14) months of treatment. Baroreflex control of heart rate was assessed by "sequence method" analysis of continuous blood pressure recordings (Finapres) obtained during nocturnal polysomnography. In untreated OSAS, baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) was low during wakefulness and non-rapid eye movement (REM) stage 2 sleep compared with control subjects, and correlated inversely with mean lowest Sa(O(2)) and the blood pressure increase after apneas. After CPAP treatment, the apnea-hypopnea index was lower, and mean lowest Sa(O(2)) higher than before treatment. After CPAP, patients were more bradycardic, blood pressure and its standard deviation decreased as Sa(O(2)) improved in non-REM stage 2 sleep, and BRS increased (nocturnal wakefulness: +59%; non-REM stage 2 sleep: +68% over pretreatment values). Our data suggest that baroreflex dysfunction in OSAS may be at least partly accounted for by nocturnal intermittent hypoxemia, and can be reversed by long-term CPAP treatment.

Adult↗

Baroreflex-mediated heart rate and vascular resistance responses 24 h after maximal exercise.

INTRODUCTION: Plasma volume, heart rate (HR) variability, and stimulus-response relationships for baroreflex control of forearm vascular resistance (FVR) and HR were studied in eight healthy men after and without performing a bout of maximal exercise to test the hypotheses that acute expansion of plasma volume is associated with 1) reduction in baroreflex-mediated HR response, and 2) altered operational range for central venous pressure (CVP). METHODS: The relationship between stimulus (DeltaCVP) and vasoconstrictive reflex response (DeltaFVR) during unloading of cardiopulmonary baroreceptors was assessed with lower-body negative pressure (LBNP, 0, -5, -10, -15, -20 mm Hg). The relationship between stimulus (Deltamean arterial pressure (MAP)) and cardiac reflex response (DeltaHR) during loading of arterial baroreceptors was assessed with steady-state infusion of phenylephrine (PE) designed to increase MAP by 15 mm Hg alone and during application of LBNP (PE+LBNP) and neck pressure (PE+LBNP+NP). Measurements of vascular volume and autonomic baroreflex responses were conducted on two different test days, each separated by at least 1 wk. On one day, baroreflex response was tested 24 h after graded cycle exercise to volitional exhaustion. On another day, measurement of baroreflex response was repeated with no exercise (control). The order of exercise and control treatments was counterbalanced. RESULTS: Baseline CVP was elevated (P = 0.04) from a control value of 10.5 +/- 0.4 to 12.3 +/- 0.4 mm Hg 24 h after exercise. Average DeltaFVR/DeltaCVP during LBNP was not different (P = 0.942) between the exercise (-1.35 +/- 0.32 pru x mm Hg-1) and control (-1.32 +/- 0.36 pru x mm Hg-1) conditions. However, maximal exercise caused a shift along the reflex response relationship to a higher CVP and lower FVR. HR baroreflex response (DeltaHR/DeltaMAP) to PE+LBNP+NP was lower (P = 0.015) after maximal exercise (-0.43 +/- 0.15 beats x min-1 x mm Hg-1) compared with the control condition (-0.83 +/- 0.14 beats x min-1 x mm Hg-1). CONCLUSION: Expansion of vascular volume after acute exercise is associated with altered operational range for CVP and reduced HR response to arterial baroreceptor stimulation.

Adult↗

Evaluation of the involvement of nitric oxide and substance P in reducing baroreflex gain in the genetically hypertensive (GH) rat.

The attenuation of baroreflex gain associated with hereditary hypertension could involve abnormal signalling by nitric oxide or substance P. Baroreflex gain was measured in age-matched male genetically hypertensive (GH) and nonnotensive (N) anaesthetised rats from heart rate changes in response to i.v. phenylephrine or sodium nitroprusside. In subgroups of these animals, nitric oxide synthesis was inhibited using NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 30 mg x kg(-1) i.v.), substance P transmission was blocked using the antagonist SR 140333 (360 nmoles x kg(-1) i.v.) or substance P release was inhibited with resiniferatoxin (4 doses of 0.3 microg x kg(-1) i.v. at 4 min intervals). Baroreflex gain was markedly reduced in GH compared to N animals (N -0.37 +/- 0.04 beat x min(-1) x mm Hg(-1), GH -0.17 +/- 0.02 beat x min(-1) x mm Hg(-1), p < 0.0001). Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase increased baroreflex gain in each strain, but the inter-strain difference in gain persisted (post-treatment N -0.57 +/- 0.07 beat x min(-1) x mm Hg(-1), GH -0.24 +/- 0.05 beat x min(-1) x mm Hg(-1) (p < 0.001). Blockade of receptors or inhibition of substance P release did not affect gain in either strain. Nitric oxide, but not substance P, appears to play an inhibitory role in the rat arterial baroreflex. Impairment of baroreflex gain in GH rats is not secondary to altered nitric oxide signaling.

Animals↗

Angiotensin and baroreflex control of the circulation.

There is a close association between the location of angiotensin (Ang) receptors and many important brain nuclei involved in the regulation of the cardiovascular system. The present review encompasses the physiological role of Ang II in the brainstem, particularly in relation to its influence on baroreflex control of the heart and kidney. Activation of AT1 receptors in the brainstem by fourth ventricle (4V) administration to conscious rabbits or local administration of Ang II into the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) of anesthetized rabbits acutely increases renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and RSNA baroreflex responses. Administration of the Ang antagonist Sarile into the RVLM of anesthetized rabbits blocked the effects of Ang II on the RSNA baroreflex, indicating that the RVLM is the major site of sympathoexcitatory action of Ang II given into the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brainstem. However, in conscious animals, blockade of endogenous Ang receptors in the brainstem by the 4V AT1 receptor antagonist losartan resulted in sympathoexcitation, suggesting an overall greater activity of endogenous Ang II within the sympathoinhibitory pathways. However, the RSNA response to airjet stress in conscious rabbits was markedly attenuated. While we found no effect of acute central Ang on heart rate baroreflexes, chronic 4V infusion inhibited the baroreflex and chronic losartan increased baroreflex gain. Thus, brainstem Ang II acutely alters sympathetic responses to specific afferent inputs thus forming part of a potentially important mechanism for the integration of autonomic response patterns. The sympathoexcitatory AT1 receptors appear to be activated during stress, surgery and anesthesia.

Angiotensin II↗

Autonomic function and baroreflex sensitivity during angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition or angiotensin II AT-1 receptor blockade in essential hypertensive patients.

OBJECTIVE: The influence of ACE-inhibition and angiotensin II ATI receptor blockade on the autonomic function and baroreflex sensitivity was investigated in hypertension. METHODS AND RESULTS: Heart rate variability was assessed in a resting condition by power spectrum analysis to evaluate the low frequency (LF) power, high frequency (HF) power and LF/HF ratio in 19 hypertensive patients and 23 normotensive controls. Moreover, the coherence between the tachogram and the systogram was evaluated, and the baroreflex gain (alphaLF-index), describing the transfer function of variability in the systolic pressure signal to variability in the RR interval, was obtained. Then a 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed. The 19 hypertensive patients were randomized to either enalapril or losartan treatment, and after 2 months were re-submitted to the RR variability and baroreflex study and to blood pressure monitoring. The subjects then crossed to the other antihypertensive treatment and were re-evaluated after an additional two months. No significant difference was found either in LF power and HF power and LF/HF ratio between normotensive and hypertensive subjects whereas a slight though significant difference was observed in the alphaLF-index. In hypertensive patients, both the treatments with enalapril and losartan reduced blood pressure and had no effect on heart rate. No significant change was observed in autonomic balance or in baroreflex sensitivity during the two antihypertensive treatments. CONCLUSIONS: In hypertensive patients, the angiotensin system or bradykinins do not seem to have any modulatory effect on the sympathetic/parasympathetic control of blood pressure and baroreflex sensitivity, in a resting condition. Since heart rates were unchanged by the two antihypertensive treatments despite a significant reduction of blood pressure, a resetting of baroreflex function was observed during both ACE-inhibition and angiotensin II ATI receptor blockade.

Adult↗

Effect of moxonidine on carotid sinus baroreflex in anesthetized rats.

AIM: To study the effect of moxonidine (Mox) on carotid sinus baroreflex. METHODS: By perfusing the carotid sinus in anesthetized rats, the functional parameters of baroreflex were measured. The femoral artery was perfused with constant flow and the change of perfusing pressure was recorded to determine the effect of Mox on vascular tone. RESULTS: Mox 32 and 100 mumol.L-1 shifted the functional curve of carotid sinus baroreflex to the right and upward, with the reduction in peak slope and in reflex decrease of mean arterial pressure, suggesting that Mox produced an inhibitory effect on baroreflex. The effect of Mox 100 mumol.L-1 on baroreflex was completely blocked by efaroxan 100 mumol.L-1. Mox increased vascular resistance. CONCLUSION: Mox inhibits carotid baroreflex via its constrictive action on sinus wall.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗

How to measure baroreflex sensitivity: from the cardiovascular laboratory to daily life.

Arterial baroreflex function in humans is commonly assessed through a number of laboratory tests based on quantification of the reflex responses in heart rate or blood pressure to external stimuli applied to the cardiovascular system. Evidence is available that these laboratory estimates of baroreflex sensitivity have both pathophysiological and clinical relevance. Indeed, a number of studies have shown that the sensitivity of the baroreceptor-heart rate reflex may have a prognostic value in myocardial infarction, heart failure and diabetic patients, where mortality seems to be inversely related to the sensitivity of cardiac baroreflex modulation. A deeper insight into the features of daily-life baroreflex cardiovascular control has been offered more recently by techniques based on computer analysis of spontaneous blood pressure and heart rate fluctuations. This innovative approach allows spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity to be assessed in real life conditions, with no need for external stimulation of the patient as required by the older laboratory techniques. This review will briefly survey the methods most widely used to assess baroreflex function in humans, in the laboratory and in daily life.

Baroreflex↗

Effect of verapamil on baroreflex sensitivity and on cardiovascular variability.

OBJECTIVE: Epidemiological evidence indicates that depressed baroreflex sensitivity and heart rate variability are associated with reduced survival secondary to coronary heart disease as well as with an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease. In view of the conflicting data in the literature concerning the effect of calcium channel antagonists on autonomic balance, we evaluated the effect of verapamil on heart rate and blood pressure variability, and on baroreflex sensitivity. METHODS: Baroreflex sensitivity was studied in 11 rabbits (27 series) under slight sedation induced by pentobarbital infusion (5 mg/kg/hour), both with a steady-state method using phenylephrine-induced blood pressure ramps, and by spectral analysis estimating the transfer function from mean arterial blood pressure to heart rate. Mean arterial blood pressure in the femoral artery, heart rate, and a microphotoelectric plethysmogram of the capillary network of rabbit's ears were simultaneously recorded during the entire experiment. Baroreflex sensitivity was measured before and after 30 min of verapamil infusion (20 micrograms/kg/min). RESULTS: Verapamil-reduced baroreflex sensitivity measured by steady-state (2.6 +/- 0.2-1.7 +/- 0.2 beats/min/mmHg, mean +/- SEM) and transfer function methods (19.0 +/- 3.1-5.3 +/- 0.9; control vs. verapamil infusion, p < 0.001), and increased cardiovascular variability as estimated both by standard deviation in mean arterial blood pressure (2.0 +/- 0.1-4.0 +/- 0.4 mm Hg) and standard deviation in heart rate (6.5 +/- 1.0-9.8 +/- 1.1 bpm; p < 0.05). Verapamil increased heart rate (+3%; p < 0.05), reduced systemic mean arterial blood pressure (-12%; p < 0.05), and mean arterial blood pressure swings induced by increasing doses of phenylephrine bolus injections (-6% to -15%; p < 0.05). The reduction was larger for larger blood pressure ramps and exceeded the systemic arterial pressure reduction induced by verapamil infusion. A nonsignificant trend towards an increase in microcirculation was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Besides the direct cardiodepressant and vasodilatatory action of verapamil, its suppressive effect on baroreflex sensitivity should be taken into account, since this sensitivity might contribute to an increased risk of cardiac morbidity and mortality.

Analysis of Variance↗

Effect of intermittent subdiastolic pressure in thigh cuffs on human arterial baroreflex.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the effects of subdiastolic variations of the pressure inside the thigh cuffs on cardiovascular oscillations and arterial baroreflex sensitivity in humans. METHODS: During 10 min of controlled breathing at low (0.1 Hz) and high (0.25 Hz) frequencies, 30 healthy subjects underwent variations of the pressure inside the thigh cuffs (from 0 to 40 mmHg) at 0.25 and 0.1 Hz respectively; the periods of controlled breathing without cuff pressure modulation were used as a control. The frequency responses of cardiovascular signals were assessed using spectral analysis, and baroreflex sensitivity by the sequence method. RESULTS: Cuff pressure modulation at 0.25 Hz did not affect the RR interval, arterial pressure, or baroreflex sensitivity; at 0.1 Hz it did not change the RR interval and arterial pressure, but engaged (0.76 +/- 0.2 of coherence) and increased the low frequency oscillations of the RR interval (from 5.6 +/- 1 to 6.1 +/- 0.9 ln ms2, p < 0.05) and improved baroreflex sensitivity by 25% (from 14.2 +/- 9 to 17.7 +/- 10 ms/mmHg, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Subdiastolic thigh cuff pressure modulation at 0.1 Hz improved the low frequency oscillations of heart rate and baroreflex sensitivity. This approach represents a new and simple non-pharmacological strategy for acutely improving baroreflex sensitivity in humans.

Adult↗

[Modulatory effects of endothelin on carotid baroreflex in anesthetized rats].

Modulatory effects of endothelin (ET) on carotid baroreflex were examined in 27 anesthetized rats with isolated carotid sinus perfusion. The results obtained were as follows: (1) By perfusing with 1 nmol/L ET-1, the functional curve of carotid baroreflex (FCCB) was shifted to the left and downward with an increase in its peak slope (PS) from 0.40 +/- 0.02 to 0.51 +/- 0.02 kPa/kPa (P < 0.01), while the reflex decrease of mean arterial pressure (RD) was increased from 5.66 +/- 0.23 to 6.76 +/- 0.22 kPa (P < 0.01). The above results indicated that this dose of ET-1 facilitated the carotid baroreflex. (2) On the contrary, by perfusing with 10 nmol/L of ET-1, FCCB was shifted to the right and upward with a decrease of PS to 0.28 +/- 0.01 kPa/kPa (P < 0.01), while RD was decreased to 4.16 +/- 0.19 kPa (P < 0.01). In response to perfusion with 100 nmol/L ET-1, FCCB was further shifted to the right and upward with a marked decrease of PS to 0.19 +/- 0.03 kPa/kPa (P < 0.001), and RD was conspicuously decreased to 3.33 +/- 0.38 kPa (P < 0.001). These results showed that ET-1 at the doses of 10 or 100 nmol/L exerted an inhibitory action on baroreflex. (3) Selective ETA receptor blocker BQ123 (0.15 mumol/L) might abolish the effects of ET-1 (10 nmol/L) on baroreflex. (4) Preperfusing with KATP channel antagonist glibenclamide (10 mumol/L) could also eliminated the effects of ET-1. Taken together, it is suggested that ET-1 exerts a dual effects on baroreflex, being facilitatory at lower dose and inhibitory at higher dose. The latter effect is mediated by ETA receptor, in which KATP channels may be involved.

Animals↗

Agmatine inhibits carotid sinus baroreflex in anesthetized rats.

AIM: To study the effect of agmatine (Agm) on carotid sinus baroreflex. METHODS: The functional parameters of baroreflex were measured by perfusing the carotid sinus in anesthetized rats. RESULTS: (1) Agm 1, 5, and 10 mmol/L shifted the functional curve of carotid sinus baroreflex to the right and upwards in a concentration-dependent manner with a reduction in peak slope and a reflex decrease in mean arterial pressure, indicating that Agm exerted an inhibitory effect on the carotid baroreflex. (2) The inhibitory effect of Agm (5 mmol/L) on baroreflex was eliminated by pretreatment with idazoxan (Ida, 0.1 mmol/L), an alpha2-adrenoceptor (alpha2-AR) and imidazoline receptor (IR) antagonist, and partially blocked by yohimbine (Yoh, 15 micromol/L), a selective alpha2-AR antagonist. (3) NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 500 micromol/L), an NOS inhibitor, did not affect the inhibitory effect of Agm. CONCLUSION: Agm inhibits carotid baroreflex via IR and alpha2-AR.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗

[17beta -estradiol inhibits carotid sinus baroreflex in male rats].

By perfusing isolated carotid sinus, the effect of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) on carotid sinus baroreflex was observed in anesthetized male rats. The results obtained are as follows. (1) By perfusing with E(2) (10 micromol/L), the functional curve of baroreflex was shifted to the right and upward, with a peak slope (PS) decrease from 0.49+/-0.03 to 0.25+/-0.01 (P<0.01) and a reflex decrease in mean arterial pressure (reflex decrease, RD) from 7.37+/-0.42 kPa to 3.49+/-0.20 kPa (P<0.001), while the threshold pressure (TP) and saturation pressure (SP) were significantly increased from 9.52+/-0.68 kPa to 13.3+/-0.11 kPa (P<0.001) and 24.53+/-0.48 kPa to 27.52+/-0.20 kPa (P<0.01) respectively. Among the functional parameters of carotid baroreflex, the changes of RD, PS, TP and SP were dose-dependent. (2) Pretreatment with different doses of tamoxifen (1, 5, 10, 30 micromol/L), an inhibitor of estrogen receptor, did not block the effect of E(2) on carotid baroreflex. (3) Preperfusion with an inhibitor of NO synthase L-NAME (100 micromol/L) could completely abolish the effect of E(2) on carotid baroreflex. It is concluded that the inhibitory effect of E(2)on carotid sinus baroreflex may be mediated by NO release from endothelial cells, but not by a genomic mechanism.

Animals↗

[Streptomycin inhibits carotid sinus baroreflex in anesthetized rats].

The effect of streptomycin on the carotid baroreflex was examined in 23 anesthetized rats with isolated carotid sinus perfusion. The results obtained are as follows. (1) By perfusing the isolated carotid sinus with streptomycin (100 micromol/L) the functional curve of baroreflex was shifted to the right and upward with its peak slope (PS) decreasing from 0.40+/-0.01 to 0.33+/-0.01 kPa (P<0.001), and the reflex decrease in the mean arterial pressure (RD) was lowered from 6.22+/-0.13 to 5.02+/-0.11 kPa (P<0.001), while the threshold pressure (TP), equilibrium pressure (EP) and saturation pressure (SP) were significantly increased from 8.27+/-0.25 to 10.33+/-0.32 kPa (P<0.01), 12.71+/-0.21 to 13.33+/-0.30 kPa (P<0.01) and 24.41+/-0.14 to 26.11+/-0.28 kPa (P<0.01),respectively. Among the functional parameters of carotid baroreflex, the changes in RD, PS and TP induced by streptomycin were dose-dependent. (2) By perfusing the isolated carotid sinus with adenosine (125 micromol/L), carotid baroreflex was facilitated. Pretreatment with streptomycin (200 micromol/L) not only eliminated the facilitated effect of ado on carotid baroreflex but also caused a reflex decrease in MAP to a level lower than control. Taken together, it is suggested that streptomycin can markedly inhibit the carotid sinus baroreflex in anesthetized rats.

Animals↗