Vagotomy reveals the importance of the imidazoline receptors in the cardiovascular effects of marsanidine and 7-ME-marsanidine in rats

Dexmedetomidine Prevents Cognitive Decline by Enhancing Resolution of High Mobility Group Box 1 Protein-induced Inflammation through a Vagomimetic Action in Mice

BACKGROUND

Inflammation initiated by damage-associated molecular patterns has been implicated for the cognitive decline associated with surgical trauma and serious illness. We determined whether resolution of inflammation mediates dexmedetomidine-induced reduction of damage-associated molecular pattern-induced cognitive decline.

METHODS

Cognitive decline (assessed by trace fear conditioning) was induced with high molecular group box 1 protein, a damage-associated molecular pattern, in mice that also received blockers of neural (vagal) and humoral inflammation-resolving pathways. Systemic and neuroinflammation was assessed by proinflammatory cytokines.

RESULTS

Damage-associated molecular pattern-induced cognitive decline and inflammation (mean ± SD) was reversed by dexmedetomidine (trace fear conditioning: 58.77 ± 8.69% vs. 41.45 ± 7.64%, P < 0.0001; plasma interleukin [IL]-1β: 7.0 ± 2.2 pg/ml vs. 49.8 ± 6.0 pg/ml, P < 0.0001; plasma IL-6: 3.2 ± 1.6 pg/ml vs. 19.5 ± 1.7 pg/ml, P < 0.0001; hippocampal IL-1β: 4.1 ± 3.0 pg/mg vs. 41.6 ± 8.0 pg/mg, P < 0.0001; hippocampal IL-6: 3.4 ± 1.3 pg/mg vs. 16.2 ± 2.7 pg/mg, P < 0.0001). Reversal by dexmedetomidine was prevented by blockade of vagomimetic imidazoline and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors but not by α2 adrenoceptor blockade. Netrin-1, the orchestrator of inflammation-resolution, was upregulated (fold-change) by dexmedetomidine (lung: 1.5 ± 0.1 vs. 0.7 ± 0.1, P < 0.0001; spleen: 1.5 ± 0.2 vs. 0.6 ± 0.2, P < 0.0001), resulting in upregulation of proresolving (lipoxin-A4: 1.7 ± 0.2 vs. 0.9 ± 0.2, P < 0.0001) and downregulation of proinflammatory (leukotriene-B4: 1.0 ± 0.2 vs. 3.0 ± 0.3, P < 0.0001) humoral mediators that was prevented by α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor blockade.

CONCLUSIONS

Dexmedetomidine resolves inflammation through vagomimetic (neural) and humoral pathways, thereby preventing damage-associated molecular pattern-mediated cognitive decline.

Are Alpha-2D Adrenoceptor Subtypes Involved in Rat Mydriasis Evoked by New Imidazoline Derivatives: Marsanidine and 7-Methylmarsanidine?

The imidazoline compounds may produce mydriasis after systemic administration to some species (rats, cats, and mice). In mydriatic activity of imidazolines, α_2D-adrenoceptors subtype(s) seems to be involved. In this study, the pupil dilatory effect evoked by 2 newly synthesized imidazoline derivatives—α₂-adrenoceptor agonists: marsanidine and 7-methylmarsanidine—was compared. The compounds were tested alone as well as in the presence of α₂-adrenoceptor antagonists (nonselective, yohimbine, and selective toward the following α₂-adrenoceptor subtypes—α_2A-2-[(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methyl]-2,3-dihydro-1-methyl-1H-isoindole maleate (BRL44408), α_2B-2-[2-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazin-1-yl)ethyl]-4,4-dimethyl-1,3-(2H,4H)-isoquinolindione dihydrochloride (ARC239), α_2C-JP1302, α_2D-2-(2,3-dihydro-2-methoxy-1,4-benzodioxin-2-yl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole hydrochloride [RX821002]). The agonists were studied in male Wistar rats and were administered intravenously in cumulative doses. The antagonistic compounds were given in a single dose before the experiment with marsanidine or 7-methylmarsanidine. Pupil diameter was measured with stereoscopic microscope equipped in green light filter. Marsanidine and 7-methylmarsanidine exerted marked mydriatic effects. BRL44408, JP1302, and ARC239 did not cause significant parallel shift to the right of the dose–effect curves obtained for both imidazolines. In case of yohimbine and RX821002, the marked parallel shifts of dose–response curves were observed, with the antagonistic effects of RX821002 more pronounced. In vivo pharmacodynamics experiment suggests that α_2D-adrenoceptor subtype is mainly engaged in mydriatic effects evoked in rats by imidazoline derivatives, in particular by clonidine.

Circulatory effect of TCS-80, a new imidazoline compound, in rats

BACKGROUND

Synthesis and hypotensive properties of centrally acting imidazoline agents: 1-[(imidazolidin-2-yl)imino]-1H-indazole (Marsanidine) and 7-chloro-1-[(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1H-indazole (TCS-80) were tested in rats. We have recently synthesized two novel Marsanidine analogues which decrease blood pressure and heart rate in rats: 1-[(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1H-indole (TCS-54), and 7-chloro-1-[(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1H-indole (TCS-213). Among all these analogues, compound TCS-80 exhibits the highest affinity to I1-imidazoline receptors and the lowest α2/I1 selectivity ratio. The observed cardiovascular effects of the compounds might be mediated through α2-adrenergic and I1-imidazoline receptors and subsequent decrease of the symphathetic nerve activity. The present studies were performed to determine whether α2-adrenergic and/or I1-imidazoline receptors are involved in the decrease of blood pressure and heart rate induced by Marsanidine, TCS-54, TCS-80, and TCS-213 in rats.

METHODS

Anesthetized rats were infused iv with the tested compounds and selective α2-adrenoceptor antagonist, RX821002, or nonselective α2-adrenergic/I1-imidazoline receptor antagonist, Efaroxan. The mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate were monitored directly and continuously throughout the experiment.

RESULTS

Efaroxan inhibited the hypotensive effect of TCS-80 stronger than RX821002. The degree of inhibition of the hypotensive effect of the remaining compounds was similar for both antagonists. The presence of Efaroxan and RX821002 diminished the heart rate decrease induced by all compounds administration, though the influence on the maximal chronotropic effect was attenuated significantly in the TCS-80 and TCS-213 treated animals only.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that hypotensive and negative chronotropic activities of all tested compounds are mediated by both the α2-adrenergic and I1-imidazoline receptors. Moreover, the circulatory effect of TCS-80 might be mediated to relatively higher degree by the I1-imidazoline receptors than by the α2-adrenergic ones.