This study tested the hypothesis that interactions of endogenous angiotensin II (AII) with the noradrenergic neuroeffector junction are important in renin-dependent hypertension. In the in situ blood-perfused rat mesentery, in normal rats exogenous AII potentiated mesenteric vascular responses to periarterial (sympathetic) nerve stimulation (PNS) more than vascular responses to exogenous norepinephrine (NE). In 2-kidney-1-clip (2K-1C) rats with renovascular hypertension mesenteric vascular responses to PNS and NE were greater than in sham-operated rats, and renovascular hypertension mimicked the effects of exogenous AII with respect to enhancing responses to PNS more than responses to NE. In 2K-1C rats, but not in sham-operated rats, 1-Sar-8-Ile-AII markedly suppressed vascular responses to PNS, without influencing responses to NE. Finally, 1-Sar-8-Ile-AII attenuated sympathetic nerve stimulation-induced neuronal spillover of NE in 2K-1C rats, but not in sham-operated rats. These data indicate that renovascular hypertension enhances noradrenergic neurotransmission, and that this enhancement is mediated in part by AII-induced facilitation of NE release.
J B Zimmerman, D Robertson, E K Jackson
The Editorial Board will only consider comments that are deemed relevant and of interest to readers. The Journal will not post data that have not been subjected to peer review; or a comment that is essentially a reiteration of another comment.