title: Evidence suggesting that angiotensins released not via synaptic inputs are involved in the basal activity of anterior hypothalamic neurons in rats.
abstract: Previously, we have demonstrated that angiotensin II-sensitive neurons exist in the anterior hypothalamic area (AHA) and that these neurons are tonically activated by endogenous angiotensins in rats. Chemical stimulation of the lateral septal area (LSV) and medial amygdaloid nucleus (MeA), and intracerebroventricular injection of hypertonic saline, activated AHA angiotensin II-sensitive neurons. To investigate mechanisms of the basal activity of AHA angiotensin II-sensitive neurons, we examined the effect of N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide hydrochloride (W7), a calmodulin inhibitor, applied onto AHA neurons on the basal activity and the stimulus-evoked activation of these neurons. Male Wistar rats were anesthetized and artificially ventilated. Extracellular potentials were recorded from single neurons in the AHA. Microinjections of carbachol into the LSV and corticotropin-releasing factor into the MeA, and intracerebroventricular injection of hypertonic saline, activated AHA angiotensin II-sensitive neurons. These three kinds of injection-induced activations of AHA neurons were abolished by pressure application of W7 onto the same neurons, while the calmodulin inhibitor did not affect the increase in firing of AHA neurons induced by pressure application of angiotensin II onto the same neurons. The pressure application of W7 did not affect the basal activity of AHA angiotensin II-sensitive neurons, whereas the angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonist losartan similarly applied inhibited it. These findings suggest that the basal activity of AHA angiotensin II-sensitive neurons is mediated by angiotensins released not via synaptic inputs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Showa Pharmaceutical University, Machida, Tokyo 194-8543, Japan. kubo@ac.shoyaku.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D007025:Anterior Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000166:cytology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018679:Cholinergic Agonists; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000804:Angiotensin II; C017967:W 7; D002217:Carbachol; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone