Pattern of sympathetic vasomotor activity in a model of hypertension induced by nitric oxide synthase blockade

Hypertension induced by NO synthase blockade is characterized by increased sympathetic nerve activity to renal (rSNA) and splanchnic nerve (sSNA). The rats that had the greatest reduction in NO levels in plasma by L ‐NAME were those that developed higher blood pressure levels. The reduction in the NO level partially explains the variations in sSNA but not in rSNA. AbstractWe aimed to investigate the effects of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis inhibition by NO synthase inhibitor N ‐nitro‐L‐arginine‐methyl ester (L‐NAME) treatment on the sympathetic vasomotor nerve activity (SNA) on two sympathetic vasomotor nerves, the renal and splanchnic. NO plasma level and systemic oxidative stress were assessed. Hypertension was induced by L‐NAME (20 mg/kg per day, by gavage , for seven consecutive days) in male Wistar rats. At the end of the treatment, blood pressure, heart rate, arterial baroreflex sensitivity, renal SNA (rSNA), and splanchnic SNA (sSNA) were assessed in urethane anesthetized rats. L‐NAME‐treated rats presented increased blood pressure (152 ± 2  mmHg,n = 17) compared to the control group (101 ± 2 mmHg,n = 15). Both rSNA (147 ± 10,n = 15 vs. 114 ± 5 Spikes/s,n = 9) and sSNA (137 ± 13,n = 14 vs. 74 ± 13 spikes/s,n = 9) were significantly increased in the L‐NAME‐treated compared to the control group. A differential response on baroreflex sensitivity was found, with a significant reduction for rSNA but not for sSNA arterial ...
Source: Physiological Reports - Category: Physiology Authors: Tags: Original Research Source Type: research