Responses of cardiovascular neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla of the normotensive Wistar Kyoto and spontaneously hypertensive rats to iontophoretic application of angiotensin II.
In female pentobarbital-anesthetized Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), changes in spontaneous discharges of cardiovascular neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVL) in response to iontophoretic application of angiotensin II (Ang II) were studied and compared. It was found that iontophoretic application of Ang II to RVL increased the spontaneous neuronal activities of 30% of the cardiovascular neurons in both types of rats and that the increase was significantly greater in SHR than in WKY. In both types of rats, there was an increase in arterial blood pressure in response to iontophoretic release of Ang II to RVL. The pressor response was accompanied by tachycardia, which was significantly greater in SHR than in WKY. The present study provides evidence that Ang II acts directly on cardiovascular neurons in RVL, and in SHR, an enhanced sensitivity and responsiveness of the RVL cardiovascular neurons to Ang II may augment the sympathetic outflow from RVL and contribute to the genesis of hypertension.
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong.
R K
RK
Chan
Y S
YS
Chan
T M
TM
Wong
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000502:physiology*; D007478:Iontophoresis; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY
D000804:Angiotensin II