Modulation of p66Shc impairs cerebrovascular myogenic tone in low renin but not low nitric oxide models of systemic hypertension

Cerebral blood flow and perfusion are tightly maintained through autoregulation despite changes in transmural pressure. Oxidative stress impairs cerebral blood flow, precipitating cerebrovascular events. Phosphorylation of the adaptor protein p66Shc increases mitochondrial-derived oxidative stress. The effect of p66Shc gain or loss of function in non-hypertensive rats is unclear. We hypothesized that p66Shc gain of function would impair autoregulation of cerebral microcirculation under physiological and pathological conditions. Three previously established transgenic (salt-sensitive background; SS) p66Shc rats were utilized, p66-Del/SS (express p66Shc with a 9-amino acid deletion), p66Shc-KO/SS (frameshift premature termination codon), and p66Shc-S36A/SS (substitution of Ser36Ala). The p66Shc-Del were also bred on Sprague-Dawley backgrounds (p66-Del/SD), and a subset was exposed to a hypertensive stimulus (L-NAME) for 4 weeks. Active and passive diameters to increasing transmural pressure were measured and myogenic tone was calculated. Myogenic responses to increasing pressure were impaired in p66Shc-Del/SS rats relative to WT/SS and knock-in substitution of S36A (P<0.05). p66-Del/SD rats did not demonstrate changes in active/passive diameters or myogenic tone relative to WT/SD, but did demonstrate attenuated passive diameter responses to higher transmural pressure relative to p66-Del/SS. 4 weeks of a hypertensive stimulus (L-NAME) did not alter active or passive diameter responses to increasing transmural pressure (P=0.86-0.99), but increased myogenic responses relative to p66-Del/SD (P<0.05). Collectively, we demonstrate the functional impact of modulation of p66Shc within the cerebral circulation and demonstrate that the genetic background of p66Shc rats largely drives changes in cerebrovascular function.

State-of-the-art assessment allows for improved vestibular evoked myogenic potential test-retest reliability

The goal of the present study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability values of myogenic responses using the latest guidelines for vestibular assessment. Twenty-two otologically and neurologically normal adults were assessed twice, on two different days. The analyses were carried out using interclass correlations. The results showed that the latest recommendations for vestibular assessment lead to test-retest reliability values that are as high, or greater, than those reported in previous studies. The results suggest that state-of-the-art testing, using the latest recommendations as well as electromyography control, improves reliability values of myogenic responses, more specifically for the cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials. The impact of small differences in experimental procedures on the reliability values of myogenic responses is also addressed.

Abstract P435: Differential Responses of Cerebral Cortical and Renal Cortical Microvessels to Perfusion Pressure and Angiotensin II: Effect of Angiotensin II or DOCA/salt Hypertension

Background: The brain and kidney autoregulate their blood flow well yet both suffer from hypertensive damage. We found that a pressor infusion of angiotensin II (Ang II) reduced renal blood flow yet did not change cerebral blood flow. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that their myogenic and Ang II responses differed. Methods: Cerebral cortical microvessels (cerebral) and renal afferent arterioles (afferent) were isolated and perfused from mice after 4 weeks of hypertension from Ang II infusion /high salt/uninephrectomy (Ang II hypertension) or DOCA/high salt/uninephrectomy (DOCA/salt hypertension) or normotensive controls without Ang II or DOCA (n=4-6 per group). Results: Normal cerebral and afferents had similar myogenic responses (Δ diameter: cerebral -21±3 versus afferent-19±2%, NS), but bath addition of Ang II or norepinephrine contracted afferents strongly (Ang II: -48±5%, P<0.001, NE: -95±2%, P<0.001), yet cerebrals were entirely unresponsive. Myogenic responses in Ang II hypertension were reduced selectively by 40% in cerebral microvessels compared to controls (-13±3 versus -21±3%, P<0.001) yet maintained in afferents (-17±3 versus -19±2%, NS). However, myogenic responses in DOCA/salt hypertension were maintained in both groups. Contractions to Ang II in cerebral microvessels were increased in Ang II hypertension (-5±2 versus 0±1%, P<0.01) and increased in DOCA/salt hypertension (-18±8 versus -2±2%, P<0.01). In contrast, contractions to Ang II in afferent arterioles were reduced 50% in Ang II hypertension (-23±5 versus -48±5%, P<0.001) and reduced 25% in DOCA/salt hypertension (-38±6 versus -50±10%, P=0.05). Conclusions: The kidney is well protected from hypertension and excessive Ang II vasoconstriction. However, the breakdown of myogenic responses in the cerebral microvessels during Ang II hypertension and the enhanced Ang II responses in the cerebral microvessels during Ang II and DOCA/salt hypertension make the brain especially vulnerable to hypertensive ischemia or damage.

The inion response revisited: evidence for a possible cerebellar contribution to vestibular-evoked potentials produced by air-conducted sound stimulation

This study investigated the effect of eye gaze and head position on vestibular-evoked potentials (VsEPs). Head position would be expected to affect myogenic sources, and eye position is known to affect ocular myogenic responses (ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials), whereas a neurogenic source should behave otherwise. Eleven healthy subjects were recruited, and VsEPs, using 72-channel EEG, were recorded at a fixed intensity above the vestibular threshold. Three eye gaze and three head positions were tested (−20°, 0°, and +20° to the horizontal). Short-latency potentials showed that in addition to the expected effect of gaze on infraocular (IO′) leads, where up-gaze gives a maximum response, significant changes in amplitude were also observed in electrodes remote from the eyes and in particular, from contralateral parietal-occipital (PO) and neck (CB′) leads. Short-latency potentials of similar latency were observed (p10/n17 and n10/p17, respectively). The pattern of change with gaze in the PO leads was distinct from that observed for the IO′ leads. For the PO leads, the maximum response was obtained with neutral gaze, and this was also distinct from that observed for CB′ electrodes, where a maximal response was observed with head flexion in the second wave but not the first. Evidence of modulation of N42 and N1 potentials with both eye and head position was also observed. Head- and eye-position manipulation thus suggests that the inion response consists of an early neurogenic component, as well as myogenic responses. The p10/n17 at PO, in particular, may be an indicator of vestibulocerebellar projections. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Loud sounds were used to activate vestibular receptors in human volunteers and the effects of head and eye position studied for short-latency responses. A potential (p10/n17) recorded in the parieto-occipital leads showed behavior not expected for a response with a myogenic origin. Source modeling suggested a possible origin from the cerebellum. It may represent a new indicator of human vestibulocerebellar function.

Abstract P266: Thromboxane-prostanoid Receptors (tp-rs) Mediate Hypertension, H2o2 Generation and Impaired Renal Afferent Arteriolar Myogenic Responses Leading to Nephropathy in Doca/salt Mice

Background: DOCA/uninephrectomy/high salt (DOCA) is a model of hypertensive nephropathy. Afferent arteriolar myogenic responses prevent hypertensive renal barotrauma but myogenic tone is blocked by vascular generation of H 2 O 2 . Since thromboxane-prostanoid receptors (TP-Rs) generate H 2 O 2 , we tested the hypothesis that they mediate hypertensive nephropathy. Methods: DOCA and Sham TP-R +/+ and -/- mice (n=6/group) were studied at 2 weeks and myogenic responses recorded from the diameter of perfused single afferent arterioles studied in a bath preparation during increased perfusion pressure (40 to 80 mmHg). Results: DOCA treatment in TP-R +/+ mice increased (p<0.001) 24-hour excretion of H 2 O 2 (45 ± 3 vs 220 + 15 nmol) , TxB 2 (4 ± 2 vs 29 ± 4 pmol) and albumin (20 ± 5 vs 270 ± 20 mg) and increased MAP by 35 ± 5 mmHg. However, all effects of DOCA were prevented in TP-R -/- mice. Sham treatment had no effect in TPR +/+ or -/- mice. Myogenic responses were severely impaired in DOCA vs sham WT mice (Δ diameter: -4 ± 1 vs -8 ± 1%; p< 0.005). Myogenic responses also were reduced by incubation of arterioles with 10 -10 mol·l -1 of the TP-R mimetic, U-46,619 vs vehicle added to the bath for 10 minutes (Δ diameter: -7 ± 1 vs -10 ± 1%; p<0.01) and in WT mice infused for 3 days with U-46,619 (500 ng·kg -1 ·d -1 x 3) vs vehicle (Δ diameter: -3 ± 1 vs -10 ± 1%; p<0.005). Conclusion: Hypertensive nephropathy is dependent on TP-Rs that mediate the increase in H 2 O 2 and blood pressure and likely the impaired myogenic responses that expose the kidney to barotrauma

Abstract 060: POLDIP-2/NOX-4 Generates Hydrogen Peroxide that Impairs Myogenic Response of Afferent Arterioles from Mice with the Reduced Renal Mass Model of Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: Because we have found that myogenic contractions are stimulated by superoxide (O 2 .- ) but inhibited by hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), we tested the hypothesis that H 2 O 2 is the cause of the impaired myogenic responses of afferent arterioles from mice with the reduced renal mass (RRM) model of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: Mice were subjected to 5/6 surgical nephrectomy or sham operations and fed 6% salt for 3 months. Single afferent arterioles were perfused, their diameter measured directly and O 2 .- and H 2 O 2 measured by fluorescence microscopy. Results: The perfusion pressure of isolated afferent arterioles was increased from 40 to 80 mmHg to study myogenic responses. Arterioles from mice with RRM (vs sham) had a greater increase in O 2 .- (21.2 ± 1.9 versus 11.3 ± 2.5%; p < 0.01) and especially H 2 O 2 (28.7 ± 3.7 versus 4.2 ± 0.4%, P<0.005), but a reduction in myogenic contraction (-1.7 ± 4.3 versus -14.4 ± 3.6%; p < 0.005) . Myogenic contractions were paradoxically reversed in afferent arterioles from mice with RRM after reduction in O 2 .- by PEG-SOD (+3.3 ± 1.5 versus -1.7 ± 4.3%, P<0.05) or deletion of p47 phox (+2.5 ± 1.4 versus -1.7 ± 4.3%, P<0.05). In contrast, myogenic responses were increased even above the levels of shams in arterioles from mice with RRM after reduction in H 2 O 2 by PEG-catalase (-19.1 ± 1.6 versus -1.7 ± 4.3%, P<0.005) or transgenic overexpression of catalase in smooth muscle cells (-10.7 ± 1.3 versus -1.7 ± 4.3%, P<0.01). Gene expression for NOX-4 and POLDIP-2 (main source of H 2 O 2 ) was increased 40-50% (P<0.05) in individual afferent arterioles from mice with RRM. Moreover, the myogenic contractions in the arterioles from POLDIP-2+/- mice with RRM were similar to POLDIP-2+/- with sham operations (-7.7 ± 0.9 versus -8.0 ± 0.6, P=NS). Conclusions: Afferent arterioles from mice with RRM had severely impaired myogenic responses that were attributed to increased H 2 O 2 generation from POLDIP-2/NOX-4 that may therefore be novel targets to maintain autoregulation and protect kidneys from barotrauma in CKD.