Cardiovascular responses of sinoaortic-denervated rats to intracerebroventricular injection of α1- and α2-adrenoceptor agonists

Brainstem adenosine A1 receptor signaling masks phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2-dependent hypotensive action of clonidine in conscious normotensive rats

Central adenosine A(1) and A(2A) receptors mediate pressor and depressor responses, respectively. The adenosine subtype A(2A) receptor (A(2A)R)-evoked enhancement of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) 1/2 production in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), a major neuroanatomical target for clonidine, contributes to clonidine-evoked hypotension, which is evident in conscious aortic barodenervated (ABD) but not in conscious sham-operated (SO) normotensive rats. We conducted pharmacological and cellular studies to test the hypothesis that the adenosine A(2A)R-mediated (pERK1/2-dependent) hypotensive action of clonidine is not expressed in SO rats because it is counterbalanced by fully functional central adenosine subtype A(1) receptor (A(1)R) signaling. We first demonstrated an inverse relationship between A(1)R expression in RVLM and clonidine-evoked hypotension in ABD and SO rats. The functional (pharmacological) relevance of the reduced expression of RVLM A(1)R in ABD rats was verified by the smaller dose-dependent pressor responses elicited by the selective A(1)R agonist N(6)-cyclopentyladenosine in ABD versus SO rats. It is important that after selective blockade of central A(1)R with 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine in conscious SO rats, clonidine lowered blood pressure and significantly increased neuronal pERK1/2 in the RVLM. In contrast, central A(1)R blockade had no influence on the hypotensive response or the increase in RVLM pERK1/2 elicited by clonidine in ABD rats. These findings support the hypothesis that central adenosine A(1)R signaling opposes the adenosine A(2A)R-mediated (pERK1/2-dependent) hypotensive response and yield insight into a cellular mechanism that explains the absence of clonidine-evoked hypotension in conscious normotensive rats.

Antihypertensive responses elicited by central moxonidine in rats: possible role of nitric oxide

In the present study, we investigated the effects of pretreatment with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (nitric oxide synthase inhibitor) injected intravenously (IV) on the hypotension, bradycardia, and vasodilation produced by moxonidine (alpha2-adrenergic/imidazoline receptor agonist) injected into the fourth brain ventricle (4th V) in rats submitted to acute hypertension that results from baroreflex blockade by bilateral injections of kynurenic acid (kyn, glutamatergic receptor antagonist) into the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) or in normotensive rats. Male Wistar rats (n=5 to 7/group) anesthetized with IV urethane (1.0 g kg(-1) of body weight) and alpha-chloralose (60 mg kg(-1) of body weight) were used. Bilateral injections of kyn (2.7 nmol 100 nL(-1)) into the NTS increased baseline mean arterial pressure (148 +/- 11 mm Hg, vs. control: 102 +/- 4 mm Hg) and baseline heart rate (417 +/- 11 bpm, vs. control: 379 +/- 6 bpm). Moxonidine (20 nmol microL(-1)) into the 4th V reduced mean arterial pressure and heart rate to similar levels in rats treated with kyn into the NTS (68 +/- 9 mm Hg and 359 +/- 7 bpm) or in control normotensive rats (66 +/- 7 mm Hg and 362 +/- 8 bpm, respectively). The pretreatment with L-NAME (25 micromol kg, IV) attenuated the hypotension produced by moxonidine into the 4th V in rats treated with kyn (104 +/- 6 mm Hg) or in normotensive rats (95 +/- 8 mm Hg), without changing bradycardia. Moxonidine into the 4th V also reduced renal, mesenteric, and hindquarter vascular resistances in rats treated or not with kyn into the NTS and the pretreatment with L-NAME IV reduced these effects of moxonidine. Therefore, these data indicate that nitric oxide mechanisms are involved in hypotension and mesenteric, renal, and hindquarter vasodilation induced by central moxonidine in normotensive and in acute hypertensive rats.

Chronic treatment with rilmenidine in spontaneously hypertensive rats: differences between two schedules of administration

Rilmenidine is one of the lead compounds of the second generation of centrally acting antihypertensive drugs. In the first part of this study, 2 routes of administration of chronic treatment (1 month) with rilmenidine were compared. In conscious and pentobarbital-anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), rilmenidine was delivered intraperitoneally either 250 microg/kg b.i.d. or 500 microg/kg/d infusion by means of minipumps. The possibility of rilmenidine-induced desensitization of central (brain cortex) and/or peripheral (kidney) alpha2-adrenoreceptors was studied in saturation experiments with the classic alpha2-adrenergic antagonist [H]rauwolscine. In the second part of this study, the cardiovascular and cardiac antihypertrophic effects of the most efficient procedure were investigated. The discontinuous administration of the drug was more effective than infusion. In rats treated with rilmenidine b.i.d., mean blood pressure was reduced by nearly 15% when no reduction occurred in SHRs treated with minipumps. With the first schedule of administration, plasma concentration of the drug reached a maximum of approximately 30 ng/ml when it was only 12 ng/ml with the continuous infusion of the same dose. Anesthesia with pentobarbital potentiated the antihypertensive effect of rilmenidine in rats treated discontinuously and unmasked an antihypertensive action in rats receiving the drug with minipumps. In saturation binding experiments, no significant changes in adrenergic receptors were observed in kidney membrane preparations. In contrast, in brain cortical membranes a reduction by about 50% of the Bmax of [H]rauwolscine value was observed in rats treated discontinuously with rilmenidine. In contrast, a 400% increase of the Bmax was observed in the brain of rats treated with minipumps. Over the one-month period of the second study, the discontinuous treatment with the 500 microg/kg/d dose of rilmenidine was still able to reduce blood pressure, at least at the peak concentration time, but did not induce any significant reduction of the ventricular mass. In conclusion, rilmenidine has only weak antihypertensive effects in conscious SHRs, even at doses higher than those that are active in rabbits and humans. As a consequence, it lacks significant cardiac antihypertrophic effects in this species. Pharmacokinetic data show that the rapid plasma withdrawal of this drug may explain this particular feature in rats.

Central benzodiazepine involvement in clonidine cardiovascular actions

It is well known that the GABAergic and noradrenergic systems play an important role in blood pressure and heart rate regulation. Benzodiazepines and beta-carbolines, respectively, increase or decrease the probability of chloride-channel opening induced by GABA. The aim of this study was to determine, in conscious rats, the interaction existing between the central alpha2-adrenoceptor stimulation induced by clonidine and the facilitation or impairment of benzodiazepine receptor activity through the administration of either diazepam, a benzodiazepine receptor agonist, or methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM), an inverse benzodiazepine agonist. Clonidine (5-10 µg, intracerebroventricularly) reduced heart rate and increased mean blood pressure by activation of central alpha2-adrenoceptors. Diazepam (2 mg/kg, intravenously (i.v.)) induced an increase in heart rate, while DMCM (0.3 mg/kg, i.v.) elicited a bradycardic effect. The bradycardic effects induced by both clonidine and DMCM were antagonized by the prior administration of methylatropine (1.5 mg/kg, i.v.). DMCM (0.3 mg/kg, i.v.) prevented the clonidine effects on heart rate and mean blood pressure, while diazepam (2 mg/kg, i.v.) failed to modify these effects. Our results suggest that the bradycardic effects of clonidine are mediated by a vagal stimulation and are related to the activation of a GABAergic pathway.Key words: blood pressure, clonidine, diazepam, methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM), heart rate.

Adrenoceptor involvement in the cardiovascular responses to B-HT 920 in sinoaortic denervated rats

1. A study was made relating the involvement of alpha-adrenoceptors in the cardiovascular responses to intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of B-HT 920, a clonidine-type drug, in conscious sham-operated and sinoaortic-denervated rats. 2. Wistar rats were used, 7 days after the sham operation or sinoaortic denervation. For i.c.v. injection of drugs, a guide cannula had been previously implanted in the left lateral ventricle. 3. In sham-operated rats, cardiovascular responses to B-HT 920 (10-60 microg) were increased blood pressure and bradycardia; but, in sinoaortic-denervated rats, after the pressor response, a decrease in blood pressure also was seen. The responses to this agent were greater in sinoaortic-denervated rats than in sham-operated animals. Treatment with the alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine (30 microg), the imidazoline receptor antagonist idazoxan (15 microg) and the alpha1A-adrenoceptor antagonist 5-methylurapidil (15 microg) blocked the responses to B-HT 920 (30 microg). The alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin (15 microg) and the alpha1B-adrenoceptor antagonist chloroethylclonidine (100 microg) did not modify the responses to agonist. 4. Sinoaortic denervation enhances the cardiovascular responses to B-HT 920. Moreover, the effects of i.c.v. administration of B-HT 920 could be mediated by several types of brain receptors: imidazoline receptors and alpha1A- and alpha2-adrenoceptors.

Influence of sino-aortic barodenervation on the cardiovascular effects of imidazoline-like drugs

Earlier findings have shown that hypotensive effects of centrally acting drugs, such as clonidine, are enhanced in animals after denervation of arterial baroreceptors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamic of changes in arterial pressure, heart rate and hypotensive effects of clonidine, rilmenidine and moxonidine in Wistar rats after sino-aortic denervation (SAD) using radio-telemetry. SAD was followed by significant elevation of arterial pressure lability (the standard deviation of the mean arterial pressure), while the baseline mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate in barodenervated rats (12 days after SAD) was similar to intact rats. The hypotension produced by clonidine, rilmenidine and moxonidine was much greater in SAD rats than in intact rats. The study suggests that baroreflex mechanisms are not only important for maintaining levels of blood pressure in the very short term, but also for buffering the effects of centrally acting antihypertensive drugs.

Influence of arterial baroreceptors and intracerebroventricular guanabenz on synchronized renal nerve activity

The contributions of changes in the number of active fibres and the peak interval of synchronized neural discharges to arterial baroreflex regulated alterations in renal sympathetic nerve activity were examined in intact conscious rats. Stimulation of central nervous system alpha 2 adrenoreceptors with intracerebroventricular guanabenz (10, 20, 40 micrograms) was used to alter renal sympathetic nerve activity by a non-reflex mechanism in both intact and sinoaortic denervated (SAD) rats. Synchronized renal sympathetic nerve discharge was analysed with the sympathetic peak detection algorithm. When arterial pressure was increased from 50 mmHg to 150 mmHg in intact rats, the peak height (number of simultaneously active fibres) of synchronized discharges decreased in a sigmoidal fashion while the peak interval remained unchanged. Guanabenz produced a dose dependent inhibition of renal sympathetic nerve activity due to both a decrease in peak height and an increase in peak interval of synchronized discharges in both intact and SAD rats. Arterial baroreflex mediated changes in renal sympathetic nerve activity are due to changes in the number of simultaneously active nerve fibres. Central nervous system alpha 2 adrenoreceptor stimulation decreases renal sympathetic nerve activity by decreasing the number of active fibres and increasing the peak interval, acting on additional neural pathways not involved in buffering acute arterial pressure changes.

Facilitation of reflex bradycardia does not contribute to the enhanced hypotensive effect of clonidine in aortic barodenervated rats

Our previous studies showed that the hypotensive effect of clonidine is enhanced in rats with surgically eliminated aortic baroafferents. In this study, we investigated whether this effect of clonidine is related to facilitation of baroreceptor control of reflex bradycardia. The effects of clonidine on blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and baroreflex-mediated decreases in HR (baroreflex sensitivity, BRS) were studied in conscious aortic barodenervated (ABD) and sham-operated (SO) rats. The slope of the baroreflex curve relating increments in mean arterial pressure (MAP) induced by phenylephrine to corresponding baroreflex-mediated bradycardic responses was taken as an index of BRS. ABD but not the sham operation caused immediate and significant (p < 0.05) increases in BP and HR and an impairment of BRS. Two days after ABD, these parameters, except the BRS, subsided to near control levels. Starting from similar baseline values of BP and HR, clonidine (30 microg/kg, i.v.) elicited significantly (p < 0.05) greater decreases in MAP in conscious ABD rats compared with SO rats (-23 +/- 2 mm Hg vs. -7 +/- 2 mm Hg). The enhanced hypotensive effect of clonidine in ABD rats was associated with a significant reduction in baroreceptor-mediated reflex bradycardic responses to increments in BP evoked by phenylephrine. The slope of the baroreflex curves that represented the BRS showed approximately 40% reduction after treatment with clonidine (baseline BRS, -1.2 +/- 0.06 beats/min/mm Hg; clonidine, -0.73 +/- 0.07 beats/min/mm Hg). On the other hand, a threefold lower decrease in BP by clonidine in SO rats was not associated with any alteration in BRS. These findings support the hypothesis that aortic baroreceptors exert a tonically active restraining influence on centrally mediated hypotension. More important, the results do not favor a role for facilitation of baroreflexes in the enhanced hypotensive effect of clonidine in denervated rats.

Brain alpha 1-adrenoceptor in the cardiovascular responses to BHT-920 and phenylephrine

1. It is well known that alpha 1A-adrenoceptors have binding sites for imidazolic and for phenylethylaminic drugs. A study was made relating alpha 1A-adrenoceptor involvement in cardiovascular responses to intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of BHT-920, an imidazoliclike drug, and phenylephrine, a phenylethylaminic drug, in conscious sham-operated and sinoaortically-denervated rats. 2. In sham-operated rats, cardiovascular responses to BHT-920 (30 micrograms, ICV) were increase of blood pressure and bradycardia but in sinoaortically denervated rats, after the pressor response, a decrease of blood pressure was also seen. The pressor and bradycardic responses to agonist were greater in sinoaortically denervated rats than in sham-operated rats. Phenylephrine (90 micrograms, ICV) showed a biphasic effect on blood pressure: an increase followed by a decrease, and bradycardia. The cardiovascular responses to phenylephrine in sinoaortic-denervated rats were greater than in sham-operated rats. 3. In sinoaortically denervated and sham-operated rats subchronically treated with the alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin (0.5 mg kg-1, intraperitoneally twice daily, for 6 days), an increase of cardiovascular responses to ICV administration of BHT-920 and phenylephrine was seen. 4. Baroreceptor deafferentation by sinoaortic denervation enhances the cardiovascular responses to BHT-920 and phenylephrine. The effects of BHT-920 could be mediated by brain alpha 1A adrenoceptors because this agonist has an imidazoliclike structure; phenylephrine could also be activating central alpha 1A-adrenoceptors. The enhanced cardiovascular responses after prazosin treatment could also be due to a supersensitivity of brain alpha 1A-adrenoceptors.

Upregulation of imidazoline receptors in the medulla oblongata accounts for the enhanced hypotensive effect of clonidine in aortic barodenervated rats

The present study tested the hypothesis that an upregulation of the imidazoline receptor in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) of aortic barodenervated (ABD) rats may account for the enhanced hypotensive effect of clonidine. In vitro autoradiographic radioligand binding studies were utilized to investigate the binding characteristics of imidazoline receptors in the RVLM and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), areas that play critical roles in cardiovascular regulation and elicitation of clonidine responses. ABD but not sham operation (SO) caused immediate and significant (P < 0.05) increases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) and an impairment of the baroreflex-mediated HR response (baroreflex sensitivity, BRS). Two days after ABD, these parameters, except BRS, subsided to near-control (SO) levels. Intracisternal (i.c.) administration of clonidine (0.1 micrograms) elicited a 3-fold greater decrease in BP of conscious ABD compared with SO rats (-20.3 +/- 2.6 vs. -7.4 +/- 0.9 mmHg) thus demonstrating the ability of ABD to enhance centrally-mediated hypotensive responses. Autoradiographic visualization of brain sections obtained from separate groups of ABD and SO rats 48 h after surgery preincubated with [3H]idazoxan (2.5-3.5 nM) showed that [3H]idazoxan binding in RVLM, middle NTM (mNTS) and rostral NTS (rNTS) was saturable and of high affinity. Uneven distribution of imidazoline binding sites was evident since in control (SO) rats, Scatchard analysis of binding data revealed similar densities (Bmax) of [3H]idazoxan binding sites in the RVLM and mNTS versus significantly higher density in the rNTS. In ABD rats, the binding dissociation constant (Kd) was significantly decreased in both the RVLM (8.1 +/- 3.1 vs. 21.4 +/- 5.0 nM) and rNTS (12.3 +/- 1.3 vs. 18.6 +/- 3.1 nM) compared with SO rats while the Bmax was not affected. This finding suggests an increased receptor affinity in the RVLM and rNTS of barodenervated rats. The mNTS of ABD rats exhibited significant increases in the Bmax (861 +/- 96 vs. 570 +/- 87 fmol/mg protein) compared with values of SO rats but the receptor affinity was not affected. It is concluded that: (i) aortic baroreceptors exert a tonic inhibitory influence on central imidazoline receptor function; and (ii) the enhanced hypotensive effect of clonidine in conscious ABD rats may be accounted for by the increased affinity of the medullary imidazoline receptors particularly in the RVLM.

Central alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors and brain cholinergic stimulation in sinoaortic denervated rats

The central alpha-adrenoceptor role in cardiovascular responses to intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of neostigmine, a tertiary anticholinesterase, was studied in conscious sham-operated and sinoaortic-denervated rats. Neostigmine (0.1-1 micrograms i.c.v.) showed dose-dependent pressor and bradycardiac effects in vehicle-pretreated sham-operated rats but only an increased pressor effect in sinoaortic-denervated animals. The pretreatment with the catecholaminergic neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (250 micrograms i.c.v.), given 72 h previous to the corresponding operation, blunted the cardiovascular effects of neostigmine in both groups of rats. Prazosin (10 and 30 micrograms i.c.v.), an alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist, prevented the pressor response to neostigmine (0.3 micrograms i.c.v.) in sham-operated and sinoaortic-denervated rats. Yohimbine, a alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist (10 and 30 micrograms i.c.v.), only prevented the bradycardia induced by neostigmine (0.3 micrograms i.c.v.) in the sham-operated rats. 6-Hydroxydopamine pretreatment lowered the norepinephrine content in hypothalamus, midbrain, medulla oblongata and spinal cord, but did not modify it in the pons, in sham-operated rats and sinoaortic-denervated animals. The present results suggested that brain alpha 1-adrenoceptors would mediate the pressor response to neostigmine (i.c.v.) in sham-operated and sinoaortic-denervated rats and central alpha 2-adrenoceptors mediate the bradycardia in sham-operated rats. This work lends support to the view that cardiovascular responses to brain cholinergic stimulation in sham-operated and sinoaortic-denervated rats could be mediated by a central catecholaminergic activation.

Cardiovascular responses to cholinergic agonists in sinoaortic denervated rats

1. The cardiovascular effect of systemic nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic stimulation were studied in conscious sham operated and sinoaortic denervated (SAD) rats, 7 days after the corresponding operation. 2. The administration of the nicotinic ganglionic agent, 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium (DMPP, 50-100 micrograms.kg-1, i.v.) induced a fall of heart rate that was significantly higher in SAD rats than in sham rats. DMPP induced in sham rats an increase of arterial pressure but in SAD animals a biphasic response: an initial hypotension followed by an increase of arterial pressure. 3. Under muscarinic blockade, DMPP only showed a pressor and tachycardic action in both groups of rats without differences between them. 4. The muscarinic agonist, carbachol (0.1-10 micrograms.kg-1, i.v.) showed the same hypotensive and bradycardic action in both groups of rats. 5. Our results suggest that after 7 days of SAD, differences in the response to DMPP between sham and denervated animals could be due to the loss of baroreflex mechanisms. The increased bradycardic effect of DMPP in SAD rats could be mediated by a supersensitivity of parasympathetic ganglionic nicotinic receptors, whilst the sympathetic ganglionic nicotinic receptors remained unaltered. On the other side, the cardiovascular muscarinic responses to carbachol remain unaffected in SAD rats.

Clonidine-induced changes in the spectral distribution of heart rate variability correlate with performance on a test of sustained attention

Conventional measures of cardiovascular activity correlate poorly with psychological variables and therefore provide imperfect physiological indices of arousal. We have investigated the effects of clonidine upon the spectral distribution of heart rate variability and upon performance on a test of sustained attention. Our findings suggest that activity of the central noradrenergic system influences the distribution of heart rate variability in the ~ 0.1 Hz range. Furthermore, the finding of a strong correlation between the effects of clonidine upon each of these variables supports the use of spectral analysis of heart rate variability in the study of arousal.