Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer into the brain stem to examine cardiovascular function: role of nitric oxide and Rho-kinase.
The central nervous system plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure via the sympathetic nervous system. Abnormal regulation of the sympathetic nerve activity is involved in the pathophysiology of hypertension. In particular, the brain stem, including the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) and the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), is a key site that controls and maintains blood pressure via the sympathetic nervous system. Nitric oxide (NO) is a unique molecule that influences sympathetic nerve activity. Rho-kinase is a downstream effector of the small GTPase, Rho, and is implicated in various cellular functions. We developed a technique to transfer adenovirus vectors encoding endothelial nitric oxide synthase and dominant-negative Rho-kinase into the NTS or the RVLM of rats in vivo. We applied this technique to hypertensive rats to explore the physiological significance of NO and Rho-kinase.
Hirooka
Yoshitaka
Y
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. hyoshi@cardiol.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology*; D002319:Cardiovascular System; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008954:Models, Biological; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000473:pathology; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases
D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases