Role of inducible nitric oxide synthase in rostral ventrolateral medulla in blood pressure regulation in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Yoshikuni Kimura, Yoshitaka Hirooka, Takuya Kishi, Koji Ito, Yoji Sagara, Kenji Sunagawa

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    20 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Nitric oxide (NO) in the brainstem modulates blood pressure (BP). Overexpression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) increases BP in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY), but its role in BP regulation in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) is unknown. We examined iNOS expression and the effect of iNOS inhibitors in the RVLM on BP and heart rate in SHR and WKY. iNOS levels in the RVLM were significantly higher in SHR than in WKY. Bilateral microinjection of aminoguanidine into the RVLM dose-dependently decreased BP and heart rate in SHR, but not in WKY. These findings suggest that iNOS expression in the RVLM of SHR contributes to increase BP.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)281-286
    Number of pages6
    JournalClinical and Experimental Hypertension
    Volume31
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - May 2009

    All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

    • Internal Medicine
    • Physiology

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