Central noradrenergic mechanism in the regulation of blood pressure in SHR

The purpose of the present study was to address whether the in vivo noradrenergic neural activities in the locus coeruleus are involved in the regulation of blood pressure. Two groups of the animals were prepared, 1) SHR and 2) age-matched normotensive control, WKY. At the age of 6 and 16 weeks, blood pressure and the releases of NE from the locus coeruleus in SHR and KWY were measured by in vivo microdialysis at three different conditions: 1) normal, 2) elevated state of blood pressure by systemic injected phenylephrine and 3) increased state of neural activity by perfused phenylephrine into the locus coeruleus. The basal release of NE of SHR were significantly higher than that of WKY, Phenylephrine treatment caused elevation of blood pressure in both SHR and WKY in dose-dependent manner. Following phenylephrine injection, the releases of NE from the locus coeruleus of SHR were significantly decreased, whereas the significant change of NE in WKY was observed in the highest dose of phenylephrine. Phenylephrine perfusion into the locus coeruleus through microdialysis probe caused pressor responses and the pressor response in SHR was greater compared with that in WKY. The results from the present study suggests that the noradrenergic nervous system in the locus coeruleus may contribute as one of the development and maintenance factors for hypertension in SHR.