Differential Alteration of Neuronal and Cardiovascular Responses to Adenosine Microinjected Into the Nucleus Tractus Solitarius of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Abstract

We previously reported that adenosine elicited site-dependent neuronal and cardiovascular responses in two subareas of the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) of normotensive rats. Pressor and tachycardic responses were obtained from the rostral NTS (adenosine pressor system), and depressor and bradycardic responses were obtained from the caudal NTS (adenosine depressor system). In both areas, adenosine inhibited the firing rate of barosensitive neurons. The present study investigated whether spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) exhibit abnormal neuronal and cardiovascular responses mediated by the adenosine pressor and depressor systems within the NTS. Male SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) were anesthesized with urethane and prepared for blood pressure and heart rate recording, stereotaxic microinjection of adenosine into the NTS, and extracellular recording of single-unit neuronal activity of NTS neurons. Chemical identification of the targeted neuronal pool was made by L-glutamate (5 nmol) and confirmed by histology. SHR exhibited significantly higher mean arterial pressure and firing rate of caudal NTS neurons (45.0 +/- 4.5 versus 27.3 +/- 4.7 spikes per 2.5 seconds, P <.05) but similar heart rate and neuronal firing rate of rostral NTS neurons compared with WKY. Adenosine (0.1, 1, and 10 nmol) elicited dose-related neuronal and cardiovascular responses in both strains. However, SHR exhibited differential alterations in both adenosine systems. Compared with WKY, SHR exhibited attenuated pressor, tachycardic, and neuronal responses mediated by the adenosine pressor system and exaggerated depressor, bradycardic, and neuronal responses mediated by the adenosine depressor system. In both strains, the responses elicited by adenosine were virtually abolished by theophylline (10 mg/kg IV), suggesting that these responses were mediated by adenosine receptors in the NTS. Furthermore, the theophylline-evoked increase in blood pressure was twofold higher in SHR (15.0 +/- 1.7 versus 6.9 +/- 1.5 mm Hg, P <.05); larger but nonsignificant increases in heart rate and neuronal firing rate also were evident in SHR compared with WKY. These findings suggest differential alterations in adenosine pressor and depressor systems in the NTS of SHR, which may be implicated in the pathophysiology of this model of hypertension.