Effects of the dopamine antagonists haloperidol and domperidone on the normoxic ventilatory response to CO2 in cats

Dopaminergic modulation of ventilation in obese Zucker rats

To investigate the hypothesis that the impaired respiratory drive noted in morbid obesity was attributable to altered dopaminergic mechanisms acting on peripheral and/or central chemoreflex sensitivity, seven obese and seven lean Zucker rats were studied at 11 wk of age. Ventilation (VE) was measured by the barometric technique during hyperoxic (100% O(2)), normoxic (21% O(2)), hypoxic (10% O(2)), and hypercapnic (7% CO(2)) exposures after the administration of vehicle (control), haloperidol [Hal, 1 mg/kg, a central and peripheral dopamine (Da) receptor antagonist], or domperidone (Dom, 0.5 mg/kg, a peripheral Da receptor antagonist). In both lean and obese rats, Hal increased tidal volume and decreased respiratory frequency during hyperoxia or normoxia, resulting in an unchanged VE. In contrast, Dom did not affect tidal volume, frequency, or VE during hyperoxia or normoxia. During hypoxia, however, VE significantly increased from 1,132 +/- 136 to 1,348 +/- 98 ml. kg(-1). min(-1) (P < 0.01) after the administration of Dom in obese rats, whereas no change was observed in lean rats. Hal significantly decreased VE during hypoxia compared with control in lean but not obese rats. In both lean and obese rats, Hal decreased VE in response to hypercapnia, whereas Dom had no effect. Our major findings suggest that peripheral chemosensitivity to hypoxia in obese Zucker rats is reduced as a result of an increased dopaminergic receptor modulation in the carotid body.

Decreased carotid body hypoxic sensitivity in chronic hypoxia: role of dopamine

Previously we showed that prolonged exposure to severe hypoxia produces decreased peripheral chemoreceptor responsiveness to hypoxia and attenuates central nervous system (CNS) chemosensory translation, which together may contribute to the decreased hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) in chronic hypoxia. In this study, we sought to determine whether the central or peripheral activity of endogenous dopamine modulates this decreased HVR. We examined the effects of peripheral and central dopamine receptor blockade on HVR and carotid sinus nerve (CNS) response to hypoxia in controls and in cats exposed to a simulated altitude of 5500 m for 3 weeks. Domperidone increased CSN response to hypoxia in hypoxic cats to levels similar to those observed in controls. HVR was also augmented by domperidone in hypoxic cats, but remained below that of controls. As a result, the CNS chemosensory translation remained reduced in hypoxic animals. We further treated animals with haloperidol. However, this combined treatment with domperidone and haloperidol led to no further increase in CSN or ventilatory responses to hypoxia, or in CNS chemosensory translation in hypoxic cats. Thus, decreased HVR in hypoxic cats is mediated both by depression of hypoxic sensitivity of the carotid body, which is largely dopaminergic, and by decreased CNS chemosensory translation which must involve non-dopaminergic mechanisms.

Almitrine and the peripheral ventilatory response to CO2 in hyperoxia and hypoxia

The effects of almitrine bismesylate (initial intravenous dose 0.6 mg.kg-1 followed by continuous infusion of 0.4 mg.kg-1.h-1) on the ventilatory response to CO2 during hyperoxia and hypoxia were determined in 6 anaesthetized cats with the use of the dynamic end-tidal CO2 forcing technique. It was found that almitrine almost doubled the peripheral ventilatory sensitivity to CO2 during hyperoxia (mean PETO2 45.6 kPa) and also during mild hypoxia (mean PETO2 8.7 kPa). The apnoeic threshold (B) was in both cases shifted to substantially lower values than those of the control measurements. No significant effects of almitrine were found on the central ventilatory sensitivity to CO2 either during hyperoxia or during hypoxia. It is argued that the decrease of the apnoeic threshold may be due to an inhibitory effect of almitrine on the carotid body dopaminergic activity, and that the increase of the sensitivity to CO2 stems from a "hypoxia mimetic" mechanism.