title: ANG II-induced excitation of paraventricular nucleus magnocellular neurons: a role for glutamate interneurons.
abstract: The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) plays a critical role in cardiovascular and neuroendocrine regulation. ANG II (ANG) acts throughout the periphery in the maintenance of fluid-electrolyte homeostasis and has also been demonstrated to act as a neurotransmitter in PVN exerting considerable influence on neuronal excitability in this nucleus. The mechanisms underlying the ANG-mediated excitation of PVN magnocellular neurons have yet to be determined. We have used whole cell patch-clamp techniques in hypothalamic slices to examine the effects of ANG on magnocellular neurons. Application of ANG resulted in a depolarization of magnocellular neurons, a response that was abolished in TTX, suggesting an indirect mechanism of action. Interestingly, ANG also increased the frequency of excitatory postsynaptic potentials/currents in magnocellular neurons, an effect that was abolished after application of the glutamate antagonist kynurenic acid. ANG was without effect on the amplitude of excitatory postsynaptic currents, suggesting a presynaptic action on an excitatory interneuron within PVN. The ANG-induced depolarization was shown to be sensitive to kynurenic acid, revealing the requisite role of glutamate in mediating the ANG-induced excitation of magnocellular neurons. These observations indicate that the ANGergic excitation of magnocellular PVN neurons are dependent on an increase in glutamatergic input and thus highlight the importance of a glutamate interneuron in mediating the effects of this neurotransmitter.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Physiology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Latchford
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000502:physiology*; D007395:Interneurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007736:Kynurenic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D000804:Angiotensin II; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D007736:Kynurenic Acid