Talmir Augusto Faria Brizola dos Santos

Adrenoceptors of the medial septal area modulate water intake and renal excretory function induced by central administration of angiotensin II

We investigated the role of alpha-adrenergic antagonists and clonidine injected into the medial septal area (MSA) on water intake and the decrease in Na+, K+ and urine elicited by ANGII injection into the third ventricle (3rdV). Male Holtzman rats with stainless steel cannulas implanted into the 3rdV and MSA were used. ANGII (12 nmol/ micro l) increased water intake (12.5 +/- 1.7 ml/120 min). Clonidine (20 nmol/ micro l) injected into the MSA reduced the ANGII-induced water intake (2.9 +/- 0.5 ml/120 min). Pretreatment with 80 nmol/ micro l yohimbine or prazosin into the MSA also reduced the ANGII-induced water intake (3.0 +/- 0.4 and 3.1 +/- 0.2 ml/120 min, respectively). Yohimbine + prazosin + clonidine injected into the MSA abolished the ANGII-induced water intake (0.2 +/- 0.1 and 0.2 +/- 0.1 ml/120 min, respectively). ANGII reduced Na+ (23 +/- 7 micro Eq/120 min), K+ (27 +/- 3 micro Eq/120 min) and urine volume (4.3 +/- 0.9 ml/120 min). Clonidine increased the parameters above. Clonidine injected into the MSA abolished the inhibitory effect of ANGII on urinary sodium. Yohimbine injected into the MSA also abolished the inhibitory effects of ANGII. Yohimbine + clonidine attenuated the inhibitory effects of ANGII. Prazosin injected into the MSA did not cause changes in ANGII responses. Prazosin + clonidine attenuated the inhibitory effects of ANGII. The results showed that MSA injections of alpha1- and alpha2-antagonists decreased ANGII-induced water intake, and abolished the Na+, K+ and urine decrease induced by ANGII into the 3rdV. These findings suggest the involvement of septal alpha1- and alpha2-adrenergic receptors in water intake and electrolyte and urine excretion induced by central ANGII.

Role of nitric oxide of the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO) in the alterations of salivary flow, arterial pressure and heart rate induced by injection of pilocarpine into the MnPO and intraperitoneally.

We investigated the effect of L-NAME, a nitric oxide (NO) inhibitor and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an NO-donating agent, on pilocarpine-induced alterations in salivary flow, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in rats. Male Holtzman rats (250-300 g) were implanted with a stainless steel cannula directly into the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO). Pilocarpine (10, 20, 40, 80, 160 g) injected into the MnPO induced an increase in salivary secretion (P<0.01). Pilocarpine (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 mg/kg) ip also increased salivary secretion (P<0.01). Injection of L-NAME (40 g) into the MnPO prior to pilocarpine (10, 20, 40, 80, 160 g) injected into the MnPO or ip (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 mg/kg) increased salivary secretion (P<0.01). SNP (30 g) injected into the MnPO or ip prior to pilocarpine attenuated salivary secretion (P<0.01). Pilocarpine (40 g) injection into the MnPO increased MAP and decreased HR (P<0.01). Pilocarpine (4 mg/kg body weight) ip produced a decrease in MAP and an increase in HR (P<0.01). Injection of L-NAME (40 g) into the MnPO prior to pilocarpine potentiated the increase in MAP and reduced HR (P<0.01). SNP (30 g) injected into the MnPO prior to pilocarpine attenuated (100%) the effect of pilocarpine on MAP, with no effect on HR. Administration of L-NAME (40 g) into the MnPO potentiated the effect of pilocarpine injected ip. SNP (30 g) injected into the MnPO attenuated the effect of ip pilocarpine on MAP and HR. The present study suggests that in the rat MnPO 1) NO is important for the effects of pilocarpine on salivary flow, and 2) pilocarpine interferes with blood pressure and HR (side effects of pilocarpine), that is attenuated by NO.

Interaction between paraventricular nucleus and septal area in the control of physiological responses induced by angiotensin II

We determined the effects of losartan (40 nmol) and PD 123319 (40 nmol) (both non-peptides and selective antagonists of the AT1 and AT2 angiotensin receptors, respectively), and [Sar1, Ala8] angiotensin II (ANG II) (40 nmol) (a non-selective peptide antagonist of angiotensin receptors) injected into the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) on the water and salt appetite, diuresis and natriuresis and mean arterial pressure (MAP) induced by administration of 10 nmol of ANG II into the medial septal area (MSA) of male Holtzman rats weighing 250-300 g. The volume of drug solution injected was 0.5 micro l over a period of 10-15 s. The responses were measured over a period of 120 min. ANG II alone injected into the MSA induced an increase in all the above parameters (8.1 +/- 1.2, 1.8 +/- 0.3, and 17.1 +/- 1.0 ml, 217 +/- 25 micro Eq/120 min, and 24 +/- 4 mmHg, respectively, N = 10-12) compared with vehicle-treated rats (1.4 +/- 0.2, 0.6 +/- 0.1, and 9.3 +/- 0.5 ml, 47 +/- 5 micro Eq/120 min, and 4.1 +/- 0.8 mmHg, respectively, N = 10-14). Pretreatment with losartan and [Sar1, Ala8] ANG II completely abolished the water and sodium intake, and the pressor increase (0.5 +/- 0.2, 1.1 +/- 0.2, 0.5 +/- 0.2, and 0.8 +/- 0.2 ml, and 1.2 +/- 3.9, 31 +/- 4.6 mmHg, respectively, N = 9-12), whereas losartan blunted the urinary and sodium excretion induced by ANG II (13.9 +/- 1.0 ml and 187 +/- 10 micro Eq/120 min, respectively, N = 9). Pretreatment with PD 123319 and [Sar1, Ala8] ANG II blocked the urinary and sodium excretion (10.7 +/- 0.8, 9.8 +/- 0.7 ml, and 67 +/- 13 and 57 +/- 17 micro Eq/120 min, respectively, N = 9), whereas pretreatment with PD 123319 partially blocked the water and sodium intake, and the MAP induced by ANG II administration (2.3 +/- 0.3, 1.1 +/- 0.1 ml, and 12 +/- 3 mmHg, respectively, N = 9-10). These results suggest the angiotensinergic effect of the MSA on the AT1 and AT2 receptors of the PVN in terms of water and sodium homeostasis and MAP modulation.

Subfornical organ mediates pressor effect of angiotensin: Influence of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, AT1 and AT2 angiotensin antagonist's receptors

We investigated the influence of voltage-dependent calcium channels and nitric oxide (NO) on angiotensin II (ANG II)-pressor effect injected into subfornical organ (SFO). The influence of NO on nifedipine antipressor action has also been studied by utilizing N(W)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (20 mug x 0.2 mul(-1)) a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (NOSI) and 7-nitroindazole (7-NIT) (20 mug x 0.2 mul(-1)), a specific neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (nNOSI). We have also investigated the role of losartan and PD123319, selective ANG II AT(1) and AT(2) receptor nonpeptide antagonists, in the pressor effect of ANG II and in the effect of L-NAME and 7-NIT, injected into the SFO. Adult male Holtzman rats (220 to 280 g) were anesthetized with ketamine (80 mg/kg(-1) of body weight) plus xylazine (7 mg/kg(-1) of body weight), placed in a stereotaxic apparatus (David Kopf model for rats), and implanted with cannula into the SFO. Direct mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was recorded in conscious rats in a test cage, without access to food or water. The previously implanted catheter into femoral artery was connected to a Statham (P23 Db) pressure transducer (Statham-Gould, Valley View, OH) coupled to a multichannel recorder (PowerLab Multirecord). MAP increased after ANG II injection. Pre-treatment with nifidipine (50 mug x 0.2 mul(-1) or 100 mug x 0.2 mul(-1)) followed by 25 pmol x 0.2 mul(-1) of ANG II, decreased ANG II-pressor effect. L-NAME and 7-NIT increased the elevation in MAP induced by ANG II, which was blocked by the prior injection of nifedipine. The AT(1) angiotensin antagonist losartan injected into the SFO blocked the effect of ANG II and the effects of L-NAME and 7-NIT while PD123319 did not. These results provide evidence that ANG II-pressor effect is influenced by nitrergic pathways that utilize L-type calcium channels in the SFO.

l-Type calcium channels mediate water intake induced by angiotensin injection into median preoptic nucleus☆

Calcium ions are widely accepted as critically important in responses of neurons to a stimulus. We have show previously the central involvement of angiotensin II (ANGII) in water intake. This study determined whether voltage-dependent calcium channels are involved in ANGII-induced behavioral drinking implicating nitrergic mechanism. The antidipsogenic actions of L-type calcium channel antagonists nifedipine, on ANGII-induced drinking behavior were studied when it is injected into the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO). The influence of nitric oxide (NO) on nifedipine antidipsogenic action was also studied by utilizing the N(W)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) a constitutive nitric oxide synthase inhibitor constitutive (cNOSI) and 7-nitroindazol (7-NIT) a specific neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (nNOSI) and L-arginine a NO donor. Rats 200-250 g, with cannulae implanted into MnPO, pre-treated into MnPO with either nifedipine, followed by ANGII, drank significantly less water than controls during the first 15 min after injection. However, L-NAME potentiated the dipsogenic effect of ANGII that is blocked by prior injection of nifedipine and L-arginine. 7-NIT injected prior to ANGII into MnPO also potentiated the dipsogenic effect of ANGII but with a less intensity than L-NAME that it is also blocked by prior injection of nifedipine. The results described in this paper provide evidence that calcium channels play important roles in the ANGII-induced behavioral water intake. The structures containing NO in the brain such as MnPO include both endothelial cells and neurons might be responsible for the influence of nifedipine on dipsogenic effect of ANGII. These data shows the correlation between L-type calcium channel and a free radical gas NO produced endogenously from amino acids L-arginine by endothelial and neuronal NO synthase in the control of ANGII-dipsogenic effect. This suggests that an L-type calcium channel participates in both short- and longer-term neuronal actions of ANGII by nitrergic way.