title: K+ channel blockade in the NTS alters efficacy of two cardiorespiratory reflexes in vivo.
abstract: We investigated the role of potassium conductances in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in determining the efficacy of the baroreceptor and cardiopulmonary reflexes in anesthetized rats. The baroreceptor reflex was elicited with an intravenous injection of phenylephrine to evoke a reflex bradycardia, and the cardiopulmonary reflex was evoked with a right atrial injection of phenylbiguanide. Microinjection of two Ca-dependent potassium channel antagonists (apamin and charybdotoxin) into the NTS potentiated the baroreceptor reflex bradycardia. This may reflect the increased neuronal excitability observed previously in vitro with these blockers. In contrast, the Ca-dependent potassium channel antagonists attenuated the cardiopulmonary reflex, whereas voltage-dependent potassium channel antagonists (4-aminopyridine and dendrotoxin) attenuated both the baro- and cardiopulmonary reflexes when microinjected into the NTS. The possibility that the reflex attenuation observed indicates a predominant distribution of certain potassium channels on gamma-aminobutyric acid interneurons is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Butcher
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Paton
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000187:drug effects; D001645:Biguanides / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D018999:Charybdotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004546:Elapid Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000502:physiology*; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D011311:Pressoreceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D012119:Respiration; D017552:Solitary Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001645:Biguanides; D004546:Elapid Venoms; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D018999:Charybdotoxin; D010656:Phenylephrine; C020273:dendrotoxin; D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium; C008846:phenyl biguanide