Thyroidal vascular responsiveness to parasympathetic stimulation is increased in hyperthyroidism

1993 ◽  
Vol 264 (3) ◽  
pp. E398-E402 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Dey ◽  
M. Michalkiewicz ◽  
L. J. Huffman ◽  
G. A. Hedge

It has been suggested that thyroid blood flow (TBF) is regulated by both parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves. Because thyroxine (T4) pretreatment increases the sensitivity of the thyroid to the effects of thyrotropin, the present study was conducted to determine whether T4 pretreatment can also sensitize the thyroid to the effect of parasympathetic stimulation on TBF. Untreated or T4-pretreated rats were anesthetized, and both superior laryngeal nerves (SLN) were transected. TBF was continuously monitored by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF), and thyroid vascular conductance (TVC) was also determined by the microsphere technique. Stimulation of the SLN had no effect on TBF or TVC in untreated rats when measured by LDF or microspheres. In contrast, stimulation of the SLN after T4 pretreatment increased TBF by 65 +/- 21% over prestimulus levels as measured by LDF. TVC was also increased significantly (P < 0.05) in these rats compared with TVC in a nonstimulated T4-pretreated group. To examine the role of muscarinic receptor activation in the mediation of these increases in TVC, T4 pretreated rats were given saline or atropine prior to SLN transection. Stimulation of the SLN in T4-pretreated rats given saline increased TVC significantly (P < 0.05) compared with TVC in the nonstimulated saline-treated or atropine-treated group. In contrast, TVC in the stimulated group given saline was not significantly different from the group that was stimulated after atropine injection. Our results suggest that the thyroidal vascular responsiveness to parasympathetic stimulation is increased in the hyperthyroid condition.

1980 ◽  
Vol 239 (6) ◽  
pp. H713-H720 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Muscholl

Activation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors located at the terminal adrenergic nerve fiber inhibits the process of exocytotic norepinephrine (NE) release. This neuromodulatory effect of acetylcholine and related compounds has been discovered as a pharmacological phenomenon. Subsequently, evidence for a physiological role of the presynaptic muscarinic inhibition was obtained on organs known to be innervated by the autonomic ground plexus (Hillarp, Acta. Physiol. Scand. 46, Suppl. 157: 1-68, 1959) in which terminal adrenergic and cholinergic axons run side by side. Thus, in the heart electrical vagal stimulation inhibits the release of NE evoked by stimulation of sympathetic nerves, and this is reflected by a corresponding decrease in the postsynaptic adrenergic response. On the other hand, muscarinic antagonists such as atropine enhance the NE release evoked by field stimulation of tissues innervated by the autonomic ground plexus. The presynaptic muscarine receptor of adrenergic nerve terminals probably restricts the influx of calcium ions that triggers the release of NE. However, the sequence of events between recognition of the muscarinic compound by the receptor and the process of exocytosis still remains to be clarified.


1999 ◽  
Vol 276 (3) ◽  
pp. R790-R798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ai-Ping Zou ◽  
Kasem Nithipatikom ◽  
Pin-Lan Li ◽  
Allen W. Cowley

This study determined the levels of adenosine in the renal medullary interstitium using microdialysis and fluorescence HPLC techniques and examined the role of endogenous adenosine in the control of medullary blood flow and sodium excretion by infusing the specific adenosine receptor antagonists or agonists into the renal medulla of anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. Renal cortical and medullary blood flows were measured using laser-Doppler flowmetry. Analysis of microdialyzed samples showed that the adenosine concentration in the renal medullary interstitial dialysate averaged 212 ± 5.2 nM, which was significantly higher than 55.6 ± 5.3 nM in the renal cortex ( n = 9). Renal medullary interstitial infusion of a selective A1antagonist, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX; 300 pmol ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1, n = 8), did not alter renal blood flows, but increased urine flow by 37% and sodium excretion by 42%. In contrast, renal medullary infusion of the selective A2 receptor blocker 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine (DMPX; 150 pmol ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1, n = 9) decreased outer medullary blood flow (OMBF) by 28%, inner medullary blood flows (IMBF) by 21%, and sodium excretion by 35%. Renal medullary interstitial infusion of adenosine produced a dose-dependent increase in OMBF, IMBF, urine flow, and sodium excretion at doses from 3 to 300 pmol ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1( n = 7). These effects of adenosine were markedly attenuated by the pretreatment of DMPX, but unaltered by DPCPX. Infusion of a selective A3receptor agonist, N 6-benzyl-5′-( N-ethylcarbonxamido)adenosine (300 pmol ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1, n = 6) into the renal medulla had no effect on medullary blood flows or renal function. Glomerular filtration rate and arterial pressure were not changed by medullary infusion of any drugs. Our results indicate that endogenous medullary adenosine at physiological concentrations serves to dilate medullary vessels via A2 receptors, resulting in a natriuretic response that overrides the tubular A1 receptor-mediated antinatriuretic effects.


2006 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 535-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett J. Wong ◽  
Sarah J. Williams ◽  
Christopher T. Minson

The precise mechanism(s) underlying the thermal hyperemic response to local heating of human skin are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate a potential role for H1 and H2 histamine-receptor activation in this response. Two groups of six subjects participated in two separate protocols and were instrumented with three microdialysis fibers on the ventral forearm. In both protocols, sites were randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments. In protocol 1, sites received 1) 500 μM pyrilamine maleate (H1-receptor antagonist), 2) 10 mM l-NAME to inhibit nitric oxide synthase, and 3) 500 μM pyrilamine with 10 mM NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME). In protocol 2, sites received 1) 2 mM cimetidine (H2 antagonist), 2) 10 mM l-NAME, and 3) 2 mM cimetidine with 10 mM l-NAME. A fourth site served as a control site (no microdialysis fiber). Skin sites were locally heated from a baseline of 33 to 42°C at a rate of 0.5°C/5 s, and skin blood flow was monitored using laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Cutaneous vascular conductance was calculated as LDF/mean arterial pressure. To normalize skin blood flow to maximal vasodilation, microdialysis sites were perfused with 28 mM sodium nitroprusside, and control sites were heated to 43°C. In both H1 and H2 antagonist studies, no differences in initial peak or secondary plateau phase were observed between control and histamine-receptor antagonist only sites or between l-NAME and l-NAME with histamine receptor antagonist. There were no differences in nadir response between l-NAME and l-NAME with histamine-receptor antagonist. However, the nadir response in H1 antagonist sites was significantly reduced compared with control sites, but there was no effect of H2 antagonist on the nadir response. These data suggest only a modest role for H1-receptor activation in the cutaneous response to local heating as evidenced by a diminished nadir response and no role for H2-receptor activation.


1993 ◽  
Vol 85 (6) ◽  
pp. 717-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunlong Huang ◽  
Gerard Davis ◽  
Edward J. Johns

1. This investigation aimed to study the effect of chronic administration of human recombinant erythropoietin on haematocrit, blood pressure, renal cortical and papillary resistances and vascular responsiveness to vasoconstrictor agents. 2. Rats were treated with placebo or 25, 50 or 100 units/kg erythropoietin subcutaneously, every other day for 3 weeks. Animals were then anaesthetized with sodium pentobarbitone and were prepared for laser-Doppler flowmetry measurement in the renal cortex and papilla. 3. Haematocrit in the placebo-treated group was 48.0 + 0.5% and was raised to 52.5 + 0.7, 55.9 + 0.8 and 62.4 + 1.1% (all P <0.05) by the chronic administration of 25, 50 and 100 units/kg doses of the hormone, respectively. Blood pressure was 107 + 1 mmHg in the placebo-treated group and was elevated to 116 + 2 and 130 + 1 mmHg (both P <0.05), respectively, by the two highest doses of erythropoietin. Cortical and papillary perfusions were reduced at the highest dose of erythropoietin, but calculated resistances were increased by 15 and 40% (P <0.05) at 50 and 100 units/kg doses of the hormone, respectively. 4. Infusion of the vasopressor hormones vasopressin and phenylephrine caused increases in blood pressure and decreases in renal cortical and papillary perfusion, the magnitudes of which were only marginally changed by the highest dose of the erythropoietin. Angiotensin II increased blood pressure and decreased cortical perfusion, and the magnitudes of these responses were unchanged by the chronic treatment with erythropoietin. 5. Acute graded increases in haematocrit resulted in significantly (P <0.05) raised blood pressure above a value of 58%. However, renal cortical and papillary perfusions decreased and resistances were increased significantly (P <0.05) when the haematocrit was raised above 56%. 6. The acute transfusion study demonstrated that elevations in blood pressure and renal vascular resistances occurred at haematocrit values somewhat higher than when it was raised by chronic erythropoietin treatment. Thus this would be consistent with the suggestion that erythropoietin has some direct action on the vasculature beyond that resulting from the raised haematocrit. These data show that a low dose regimen of erythropoietin can modestly increase haematocrit without other cardiovascular changes becoming apparent. The findings add weight to the recent clinical practice of using very low doses of the hormone in the treatment of chronic renal failure.


1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 774-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiong Wang ◽  
Dale A. Pelligrino ◽  
Verna L. Baughman ◽  
Heidi M. Koenig ◽  
Ronald F. Albrecht

The nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors, nitro-L-arginine, its methyl ester, and N-monomethyl-L-arginine, have been shown to attenuate resting CBF and hypercapnia-induced cerebrovasodilation. Those agents nonspecifically inhibit the endothelial and neuronal NOS (eNOS and nNOS). In the present study, we used a novel nNOS inhibitor, 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) to examine the role of nNOS in CBF during normocapnia and hypercapnia in fentanyl/N2O-anesthetized rats. CBF was monitored using laser-Doppler flowmetry. Administration of 7-NI (80 mg kg−1 i.p.) reduced cortical brain NOS activity by 57%, the resting CBF by 19–27%, and the CBF response to hypercapnia by 60%. The 60% reduction was similar in magnitude to the CBF reductions observed in previous studies in which nonspecific NOS inhibitors were used. In the present study, 7-NI did not increase the MABP. Furthermore, the CBF response to oxotremorine, a blood–brain barrier permeant muscarinic agonist that induces cerebrovasodilation via endothelium-derived NO, was unaffected by 7-NI. These results confirmed that 7-NI does not influence eNOS; they also indicated that the effects of 7-NI on the resting CBF and on the CBF response to hypercapnia in this study were solely related to its inhibitory action on nNOS. The results further suggest that the NO synthesized by the action of nNOS participates in regulation of basal CBF and is the major, if not the only, category of NO contributing to the hypercapnic CBF response.


1997 ◽  
Vol 272 (2) ◽  
pp. H701-H705 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Ishimoto ◽  
M. Natori ◽  
M. Tanaka ◽  
T. Miyazaki ◽  
T. Kobayashi ◽  
...  

We investigated the involvement of oxygen-derived free radicals in the pathogenesis of the intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by ischemia-reperfusion. On day 17 of gestation, rats received saline, superoxide dismutase (SOD, 50,000 U/kg), catalase (CAT, 50,000 U/kg), or SOD + CAT subcutaneously 1 h before induction of 30 min of ischemia of the right uterine horn. On day 21 the placental level of lipid peroxides was significantly increased (P < 0.001 vs. sham-operated group) and IUGR was induced (P < 0.001 vs. left horn) in the saline-treated group n = 6). Pretreatment with SOD + CAT (n = 6) significantly inhibited the increase in placental lipid peroxides and prevented IUGR. The effect of ischemia-reperfusion on uterine blood flow, with or without pretreatment with radical scavengers, was investigated in separate experiments by laser-Doppler flowmetry. The induction of hypoperfusion 3 h after ischemia (blood flow -40 +/- 5%, n = 6, P < 0.05) was blocked by pretreatment with SOD + CAT (n = 6). Results indicate that oxygen-derived free radicals may be important in the development of postischemic uteroplacental hypoperfusion and of ischemia-reperfusion-induced IUGR in the rat.


1982 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 647-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Enjeti ◽  
P. B. Terry ◽  
H. A. Menkes ◽  
R. J. Traystman

The role of mechanical interdependence in the perfusion of atelectatic lung was studied in two ways: a) regional hemodynamics were compared before (control) and after the development of lobar and sublobar atelectasis, and b) the effect of thoracotomy on regional hemodynamics was assessed. With lobar atelectasis mean lobar blood flow and vascular conductance decreased to 60% of control. Sublobar atelectasis caused mean sublobar blood flow and vascular conductance to decrease to 6% of control. Opening the chest after production of lobar atelectasis caused blood flow to fall to 50% of control. When sublobar atelectasis was produced in the open chest, sublobar blood flow decreased to 25% of control measurements made prior to thoracotomy. We conclude that with a closed chest, sublobar vascular distortion mediated by mechanical interdependence may be an important mechanism responsible for the differences in hemodynamic responses to atelectasis between lobes and sublobar regions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 3932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Preeti Kumari Chaudhary ◽  
Sanggu Kim ◽  
Youngheun Jee ◽  
Seung-Hun Lee ◽  
Kyung-Mee Park ◽  
...  

Platelet G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) regulate platelet function by mediating the response to various agonists, including adenosine diphosphate (ADP), thromboxane A2, and thrombin. Although GPCR kinases (GRKs) are considered to have the crucial roles in most GPCR functions, little is known regarding the regulation of GPCR signaling and mechanisms of GPCR desensitization by GRKs in platelets. In this study, we investigated the functional role of GRK6 and the molecular basis for regulation of specific GPCR desensitization by GRK6 in platelets. We used GRK6 knockout mice to evaluate the functional role of GRK6 in platelet activation. Platelet aggregation, dense- and α-granule secretion, and fibrinogen receptor activation induced by 2-MeSADP, U46619, thrombin, and AYPGKF were significantly potentiated in GRK6−/− platelets compared to the wild-type (WT) platelets. However, collagen-related peptide (CRP)-induced platelet aggregation and secretion were not affected in GRK6−/− platelets. Interestingly, platelet aggregation induced by co-stimulation of serotonin and epinephrine which activate Gq-coupled 5HT2A and Gz-coupled α2A adrenergic receptors, respectively, was not affected in GRK6−/− platelets, suggesting that GRK6 was involved in specific GPCR regulation. In addition, platelet aggregation in response to the second challenge of ADP and AYPGKF was restored in GRK6−/− platelets whereas re-stimulation of the agonist failed to induce aggregation in WT platelets, indicating that GRK6 contributed to P2Y1, P2Y12, and PAR4 receptor desensitization. Furthermore, 2-MeSADP-induced Akt phosphorylation and AYPGKF-induced Akt, extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK), and protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ) phosphorylation were significantly potentiated in GRK6−/− platelets. Finally, GRK6−/− mice exhibited an enhanced and stable thrombus formation after FeCl3 injury to the carotid artery and shorter tail bleeding times, indicating that GRK6−/− mice were more susceptible to thrombosis and hemostasis. We conclude that GRK6 plays an important role in regulating platelet functional responses and thrombus formation through selective GPCR desensitization.


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1020-1024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seiji Yamamoto ◽  
Eugene V. Golanov ◽  
Donald J. Reis

To determine whether the neuroprotection elicited from electrical stimulation of the cerebellar fastigial nucleus (FN) is attributable to the elevation in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), we compared the effects in spontaneously hypertensive rats of stimulation of the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVL) or FN on (a) a focal ischemic lesion produced by middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion, and (b) the changes in rCBF, measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry for 1.5 h, over regions corresponding to the ischemic core (parietal cortex), penumbra (occipital cortex), and nonischemic area (contralateral parietal cortex). Stimulation of FN for 1 h following MCA occlusion reduced infarction 24 h later by 52%. Stimulation of RVL was ineffective. Changes in the lesion were confined to the penumbra. FN and RVL stimulation comparably and significantly increased rCBF up to 185% in unlesioned animals. Following MCA occlusion, stimulation of FN or RVL and hypercarbia failed to elevate rCBF in the ischemic area but did so in the nonischemic area, even though in the same animals only FN stimulation reduced infarction 24 h later. We conclude that (a) the neuroprotection elicited from FN is not the result of an increase in rCBF but results from another mechanism, possibly reduction of metabolism in penumbra, and (b) the pathways mediating central neurogenic vasodilation and neuroprotection are, in part, distinct.


1998 ◽  
Vol 274 (3) ◽  
pp. R760-R766 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Clara Ortíz ◽  
Lourdes A. Fortepiani ◽  
Francisco M. Ruiz-Marcos ◽  
Noemí M. Atucha ◽  
Joaquín García-Estañ

Nitric oxide (NO) is a vasodilator substance controlling renal papillary blood flow (PBF) in the rat. In this study we have evaluated the role of AT1 angiotensin II receptors as modulators of the whole kidney and papillary vasoconstrictor effects induced by the acute or chronic inhibition of NO synthesis. Experiments have been performed in anesthetized, euvolemic Munich-Wistar rats prepared for the study of renal blood flow (RBF) and PBF. In normal rats, acute administration of the NO synthesis inhibitor N ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) and decreased RBF and PBF. Either acute or chronic treatment with the AT1 receptor blocker losartan did not modify the decreases in RBF or PBF secondary to l-NAME. In animals made hypertensive by chronic inhibition of NO, basal MAP was higher, whereas RBF and PBF were lower than in the controls. In these animals, acute or chronic administration of losartan decreased MAP and increased both RBF and PBF significantly. These results indicate that, under normal conditions, the decreases in RBF or PBF induced by the acute inhibition of NO synthesis are not modulated by AT1-receptor stimulation. However, the arterial hypertension, renal vasoconstriction, and reduced PBF present in chronic NO-deficient hypertensive rats is partially due to the effects of angiotensin II, via stimulation of AT1-receptors.


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