Changes in cyclic nucleotide metabolism in aorta and heart of neurogenically hypertensive rats: possible trigger mechanism of hypertension.
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Changes in cyclic nucleotide metabolism similar to those characteristic of the chronic forms of hypertension were observed in an acute neurogenic form of hypertension in rats produced by electrolytic lesions of the nucleus tractus solitarii. These changes that were evident 2 hr after the lesions were made included decreased cyclic AMP levels in the heart, increased cGMP:cAMP ratio, cAMP phosphodiesterase (3':5'-cAMP 5'-nucleotidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.17) and guanylyl cyclase (GTP pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing), EC 4.6.1.2) activities in the aorta and decreased snesitivity of adenylyl cyclase (ATP pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing), EC 4.6.1.1) in both the aorta and heart to stimulation by the beta-adrenergic stimulant isoproterenol. These changes appear to depend on catecholamine release and are not due to mechanical distortion secondary to the increased arterial pressure. These studies provide biochemical support to the concept that the sympathetic nervous system may play a critical role in the initiation of the hypertensive syndrome and that chronic hypertension could result from the fixation of the biochemical effects of increased sympathetic activity. (+info)
Parasympathetic, sympathetic, and sensory interactions in the iris: nerve growth factor regulates cholinergic ciliary ganglion innervation in vivo.
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Interactions between peptidergic sensory nerves, noradrenergic sympathetic nerves, and cholinergic parasympathetic fibers were examined in the rat iris. The putative peptide neurotransmitter, substance P (SP), was used as an index of the trigeminal sensory innervation, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity served to monitor the sympathetic fibers, and choline acetyltransferase (CAT) activity was used as an index of the parasympathetic innervation. Destruction of the sympathetic innervation by neonatal administration of 6-hydroxydopamine resulted in increased SP development and a smaller increase in CAT activity in the iris. Moreover, trigeminal ablation resulted in an increase in both TH and CAT activities. Finally, ciliary ganglionectomy resulted in increased SP and a smaller increase in TH activity in the iris. Administration of nerve growth factor (NGF) into the anterior chamber substantially increased both SP and TH activity in the iris and also increased CAT activity to a lesser extent. Moreover, administration of anti-NGF into the anterior chamber prevented both the sympathectomy-induced increases in SP and CAT, and the increases in TH and CAT activities after trigeminal ablation, suggesting that NGF mediated these increases. These observations suggest that the sympathetic, sensory, and parasympathetic innervations of the iris interact by altering availability of NGF elaborated by the iris. Regulation of iris CAT activity was examined in greater detail. Injection of the cholinergic toxin, AF64A, into the anterior chamber concurrently with ablation of the sympathetic and sensory innervations paradoxically increased CAT activity, whereas AF64A alone decreased CAT activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) (+info)
Influence of calcium-entry blockade on vasoconstrictor responses in feline mesenteric vascular bed.
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The subtypes of postjunctional alpha-adrenoceptors activated by neuronally released and exogenous norepinephrine and the source of calcium used for vasoconstrictor responses were investigated in the feline mesenteric vascular bed. Under constant flow conditions, intra-arterial injections of phenylephrine and UK14304, alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists, increased mesenteric arterial perfusion pressure in a dose-related manner. Prazosin, an alpha 1-antagonist, reduced vasoconstrictor responses to phenylephrine without altering responses to UK14304. Yohimbine, an alpha 2-antagonist, reduced responses to UK14304 without altering responses to phenylephrine. The same pattern of blockade was observed in animals pretreated with 6-hydroxydopamine to destroy the integrity of adrenergic terminals. Responses to phenylephrine and UK14304 were reduced by nitrendipine, a calcium-entry blocking agent, and this agent decreased vasoconstrictor responses to sympathetic nerve stimulation, tyramine, and norepinephrine. Responses to sympathetic nerve stimulation were selectively blocked by prazosin, but responses to norepinephrine were selectively blocked by yohimbine. Vasoconstrictor responses to tyramine were reduced by both prazosin and yohimbine. Nitrendipine also reduced responses to angiotensin II, U46619, a prostaglandin endoperoxide analogue, Bay K 8644, and potassium chloride. These data suggest the presence of alpha 1- and postjunctional alpha 2-adrenoceptors and support the hypothesis that norepinephrine released by nerve excitation acts mainly on alpha 1-receptors but that exogenous norepinephrine acts primarily on alpha 2-receptors. However, norepinephrine released by tyramine acts on both receptor subtypes. Nitrendipine inhibited responses to the alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists as well as those to nerve released and exogenous norepinephrine, the calcium agonist, Bay K 8644, and to other vasoconstrictor agents. These data suggest that in the feline mesenteric vascular bed, an extracellular source of calcium ions is required for vasoconstriction induced by a variety of mechanisms including activation of alpha 1- and postjunctional alpha 2-adrenoceptors. (+info)
Capsaicin enhances the non-adrenergic twitch response of rat vas deferens.
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1 Capsaicin (Cap) enhanced the twitch response of the epididymal and prostatic portions of rat vas deferens induced by field stimulation at 0.1 Hz. The effect of Cap was reproducible and showed no desensitization. 2 Prazosin, and pretreatment with reserpine or Cap did not affect the potentiating effect of Cap, whereas pretreatment with 6-hydroxydopamine abolished the action of Cap. 3 Cap tended to attenuate the contractions induced by noradrenaline, tyramine and ATP. 4 Like Cap, substance K and substance P augmented the twitch response without causing desensitization, but their effects differed somewhat from that of Cap. Calcitonin gene-related peptide inhibited the twitch response. 5 These results suggest that Cap enhances a stimulation-induced, prazosin-resistant non-adrenergic twitch response of rat vas deferens through an as yet undefined prejunctional mechanism. This mechanism is possibly mediated by some peptide released in response to Cap from sensory neurones, which in turn acts on sympathetic nerves and increases stimulation-induced release of a mediator or cotransmitter responsible for the non-adrenergic twitch response. However, the possibility that Cap has a direct action on sympathetic nerves cannot be ruled out. (+info)
Modulation of cone horizontal cell activity in the teleost fish retina. II. Role of interplexiform cells and dopamine in regulating light responsiveness.
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Following the destruction of the terminals of the dopaminergic interplexiform cells by intraocular injections of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), cone horizontal cells exhibited high light responsiveness in prolonged darkness and their responses to moderate and bright full-field flashes were as large as 60 mV. Furthermore, the light responsiveness of these cells in the 6-OHDA-treated retinas was not enhanced by background illumination. The application of dopamine (50 microM) by superfusion to 6-OHDA-treated retinas resulted in a decrease in light responsiveness and changes in response waveform of the cone horizontal cells. Twenty minutes following dopamine application the responses of the cone horizontal cells closely resembled the response of cells recorded in prolonged dark-adapted retinas. Dopamine caused similar changes in cone horizontal cells recorded in light-exposed retinas, but had no obvious effects on rod horizontal cells. The selective dopamine D1 receptor antagonist, Sch 23390, enhanced cone horizontal cell responsiveness when applied to prolonged dark-adapted retinas, mimicking background illumination. The light responsiveness of cone horizontal cells recorded after application of Sch 23390 was less than that for cells in retinas that had been exposed to background lights, but light responsiveness could not be further enhanced by background illumination. Another dopamine antagonist, (+)-butaclamol, was found to have effects similar to Sch 23390 on cone horizontal cells, but (-)-butaclamol, the inactive enantiomer, did not enhance the light responsiveness of these cells. The results suggest that the dopaminergic interplexiform cells play a crucial role in the regulation of cone horizontal cell responsiveness by prolonged darkness and background illumination. These cells may release dopamine tonically in the dark, which suppresses cone horizontal cell responsiveness. Background illumination may decrease dopamine release and liberate cone horizontal cells from the suppression. (+info)
Dopamine actions in vitro on enzyme and electrolyte secretion from normal and sympathectomized rat parotid glands.
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1. Adult rats were denervated unilaterally by removal of the left superior cervical ganglion or chemically denervated with 6-hydroxydopamine or reserpine. Two weeks later the parotid glands were used for in vitro secretory studies and their catecholamines and major metabolites were measured. 2. Noradrenaline concentrations were reduced 2 weeks after surgical sympathectomy and reserpine pre-treatment 18 h previously, whereas 6-hydroxydopamine pre-treatment for 3 days reduced both noradrenaline and dopamine concentrations. 3. Dopamine caused a prominent amylase release from incubated control glands. However, a subsensitivity for dopamine-induced amylase release was recorded on the denervated side. 4. Dopamine caused a prominent potassium efflux measured as 86Rb+ efflux from control glands, but was without effect in denervated glands. This is in contrast to noradrenaline-induced 86Rb+ efflux which was equally effective in both denervated and control glands. 5. Dopamine caused [3H]noradrenaline efflux in control glands, but was without effect in surgically denervated glands and in glands pre-treated with reserpine or 6-hydroxydopamine. 6. It is concluded that dopamine-induced potassium release is caused by a presynaptic action on noradrenergic nerves, whereas dopamine-induced amylase release has a presynaptic and a postsynaptic component. The results suggest a specific action of dopamine in salivary glands, with different effects on enzyme release and ionic fluxes. (+info)
Nondopaminergic prefrontocortical efferent fibers modulate D1 receptor denervation supersensitivity in specific regions of the rat striatum.
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A unilateral injection of 6-OHDA (6 microgram/1.5 microliter) was made into the fields of Forel in order to estimate the effects of the destruction of ascending dopaminergic (DA) pathways on the denervation supersensitivity of DA D1 receptors in the rat striatum. DA-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity was markedly enhanced in the anteromedian part of the striatum 3 weeks after the lesion (+68%) and remained elevated for several weeks thereafter (+36%). A different response occurred in the laterodorsal striatum, where the increase in DA-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity was less pronounced after 3 weeks (+40%) and no longer present after 7 weeks. Estimations of catecholamine levels indicated that the lesion made destroyed not only nigrostriatal DA neurons but other ascending catecholaminergic fibers projecting into the cerebral cortex as well. In addition, retrograde transport experiments made with wheat germ agglutinin coupled to horseradish peroxidase indicated that the anteromedian part of the striatum, but not the laterodorsal one, receives both an ipsi- and contralateral cortical projection originating in the prefrontocortical DA field. When the destruction by 6-OHDA of this contralateral DA innervation was combined to the unilateral lesion of the fields of Forel, the increase in DA-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity in each striatal area 3 or 7 weeks postlesion was prevented. This effect was due to DA denervation of the prefrontal cortex since striatal D1 denervation supersensitivity was still observed when contralateral ascending noradrenergic fibers were selectively destroyed by a 6-OHDA lesion made laterally to the pedunculus cerebellaris superior. These results suggest that, by controlling the activity of corticostriatal neurons, the mesocorticoprefrontal DA neurons exert a permissive role on the development of D1-receptor denervation supersensitivity in specific areas of the striatum. (+info)