title: Oxytocin's role on the cardiorespiratory activity of endotoxemic rats.
abstract: Recent findings concerning oxytocin indicate its anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective and parasympathetic modulating properties. In this study, we investigated the effects of systemically applied oxytocin on the cardiorespiratory activity in a rodent model of moderate endotoxemia.
  
  
  
  Telemetrically recorded electrocardiogram (ECGs) from animals which received lipopolysaccharide (LPS); oxytocin (Ox); lipopolysaccharide+oxytocin (LPS+Ox), or vehicle (V) were analyzed using the ECG-derived respiration (EDR) technique to estimate the respiratory rate. The mean R-R interval and the spectral parameters of heart rate variability (HRV), such as the natural logarithm of the high frequency (lnHF) and low frequency (lnLF) components were also estimated up to 24h after treatment.
  
  
  
  The endotoxemic animals (LPS) showed an elevated respiratory rate as well as a reduced mean R-R interval, lnHF and lnLF components compared to controls (V) from +5 to +12h after the treatment. The administration of oxytocin significantly attenuated the hyperventilation produced by the LPS-induced endotoxemia (LPS+Ox) and restored the values of the mean R-R interval and such spectral parameters at different time points.
  
  
  
  Our results support the existence of a link among the respiratory, cardiovascular, and immune systems in which oxytocin seems to act as a potential cardioprotective peptide by favoring cardiac cholinergic autonomic coupling. As a result, oxytocin diminished animal's endotoxemic tachypnea and restored the cardiorespiratory interactions, which was indicated by the spectral components of HRV.
authors.affiliation: Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMex), Faculty of Medicine, Toluca, 50180, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ana Rosa
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Elorza-Ávila
authors.affiliation: Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMex), Faculty of Medicine, Toluca, 50180, Mexico; Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), Campus Iztapalapa, Basic Sciences and Engineering Division, Mexico City, 09340, Mexico.
authors.forename: José Javier
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Reyes-Lagos
authors.affiliation: University of Duisburg-Essen, University Hospital Essen, Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, Essen, 45122, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hadamitzky
authors.affiliation: Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), Campus Iztapalapa, Basic Sciences and Engineering Division, Mexico City, 09340, Mexico.
authors.forename: Miguel Ángel
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Peña-Castillo
authors.affiliation: Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), Campus Iztapalapa, Basic Sciences and Engineering Division, Mexico City, 09340, Mexico.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Echeverría
authors.affiliation: Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), Campus Iztapalapa, Basic Sciences and Engineering Division, Mexico City, 09340, Mexico.
authors.forename: María Del Rocío
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Pedroza
authors.affiliation: University of Duisburg-Essen, University Hospital Essen, Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, Essen, 45122, Germany.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lückemann
authors.affiliation: University of Duisburg-Essen, University Hospital Essen, Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, Essen, 45122, Germany.
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schedlowski
authors.affiliation: Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM), Campus Lerma, Biological and Health Sciences Division, Lerma, 52005, Mexico; Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Schwerzenbach, 8603, Switzerland. Electronic address: g.pacheco@correo.ler.uam.mx.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pacheco-López
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004562:Electrocardiography; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D056152:Respiratory Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: Anti-inflammatory cholinergic pathway; ECG-derived respiration; HRV; LPS; Oxytocin