Lipopolysaccharide, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin-1 interact to cause hypotension.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) causes the syndrome of septic shock by initiating the release of endogenous mediators such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) from macrophages. Hypotension is one of the important clinical features of septic shock; however, TNF is only hypotensive in high doses. Therefore we have investigated the interactions of low, nonhypotensive doses of LPS, IL-1, and TNF in the restrained unanesthetized rabbit. Combinations of nonhypotensive doses of TNF, IL-1, and LPS produced significant (p less than 0.05) decreases in blood pressure as compared with doses of each of the substances alone. TNF bioactivity in animals that were made hypotensive with combinations of TNF, IL-1, and LPS was lower than in animals that were made hypotensive with TNF alone. This suggests that TNF release that is stimulated by LPS is not the sole cause of the hypotension that is seen in this model of endotoxic shock. In this model, interactions of LPS, IL-1, and TNF occur and may explain hypotension during some episodes of sepsis.     

Effect of profound normovolemic hypotension and moderate hypothermia on circulating cytokines and adhesion molecules

Hypotension caused by hypovolemic, hemorrhagic shock induces disturbances in the immune system that may contribute to an increased susceptibility to sepsis. The effect of chemically induced hypotension on circulating cytokines and adhesion molecules has not been investigated yet. In 21 patients scheduled for resection of malignant choroidal melanoma of the eye the perioperative serum levels of the cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, and the adhesion molecules sE-Selectin and sICAM-1 were investigated. Moderate hypothermia of 32 degrees C was induced in all patients. In 14 patients profound hypotension (mean arterial blood pressure 35-40 mmHg, hypotension group) was induced by enalapril and nitroglycerin for a mean duration of 71 min. In 7 patients the tumor was not resectable, and hypotension was not induced (controls). We did not detect significant differences in serum levels of cytokines or sE-Selectin perioperatively in patients with profound hypotension compared with controls. In both groups IL-6 serum levels increased significantly and reached a maximum after rewarming (17 +/- 6 and 16 +/- 5 pg/dL, respectively, P < 0.001). IL-1beta, IL-10, and TNF-alpha did not change perioperatively in both groups. On the first postoperative day sICAM-1 serum levels were significantly increased in both groups (mean increase of 96 and 54 ng/mL, respectively, P < 0.01 and P < 0.05). We conclude from this study that profound normovolemic arterial hypotension does not seem to have effects on serum levels of circulating IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, and sE-Selectin. Perioperative moderate hypothermia may be the reason for the postoperative increase in sICAM-1 levels independent of the blood pressure.     

Time- and surgery-dependent effects of lipopolysaccharide on gut, cardiovascular and nitric oxide functions.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is considered a major effector of hypotension in septic shock, partly through increasing nitric oxide (NO) formation. LPS-activation of leukocytes that express cytokines which induce NO synthase (iNOS) has also been considered an important contributor to shock. However, LPS, cytokines, and NO are not necessarily associated with hypotensive shock. We investigated whether the timing of LPS injection after initial surgery could influence responses to LPS. E. coli LPS (17 mg/kg 0111:B4 and 026:B6 serotypes) was injected 15 or 120 min after tracheal and femoral cannulation in the anesthetized rat. LPS caused hypotension for 2 h when injected 15 min (early injection) after initial surgery. LPS decreased blood pressure for only 15 min when injected 2 h (late injection) after initial surgery. Plasma NO was increased and leukocytes were decreased after both the early and late LPS injection. Blood pressure responded the same when a second surgery (ileal cannulation and luminal perfusion) followed the early or preceded the late LPS injection. Ileal NO secretion increased and effective mucosal blood flow decreased when LPS followed gut surgery, but these did not change when gut surgery followed LPS. Plasma NO was increased and leukocytes were decreased when LPS followed gut surgery, but these did not change when gut surgery followed LPS. Ileal water absorption was not affected by LPS. These observations suggest that a desensitization to the hypotensive effect of LPS develops with time after an initial trauma. An additional gut trauma does not change the blood pressure response, but does have effects on leukocyte sequestration and NO synthesis. NO synthesis alone could not explain the effects on blood pressure.     

Staphylococcus epidermidis induces complement activation, tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1, a shock-like state and tissue injury in rabbits without endotoxemia. Comparison to Escherichia coli.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and IL-1 are thought to mediate many of the pathophysiologic changes of endotoxemia and Gram-negative bacteremia. In these studies, heat-killed Staphylococcus epidermidis were infused into rabbits to determine whether an endotoxin (LPS)-free microorganism also elicits cytokinemia and the physiologic abnormalities seen in Gram-negative bacteremia. S. epidermidis induced complement activation, circulating TNF and IL-1, and hypotension to the same degree as did one-twentieth the number of heat-killed Escherichia coli. Circulating IL-1 beta levels had a greater correlation coefficient (r = 0.81, P less than 0.001) with the degree of hypotension than TNF levels (r = 0.48, P less than 0.02). Leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, diffuse pulmonary capillary aggregation of neutrophils, and hepatic necrosis with neutrophil infiltration were observed to the same extent after either S. epidermidis or E. coli infusion. However, S. epidermidis infusion did not induce significant (less than 60 pg/ml) endotoxemia, whereas E. coli infusion resulted in high (11,000 pg/ml) serum endotoxin levels. S. epidermidis, E. coli, LPS, or S. epidermidis-derived lipoteichoic acid (LTA) induced TNF and IL-1 from blood mononuclear cells in vitro. E. coli organisms and LPS were at least 100-fold more potent than S. epidermidis or LTA. Thus, a shock-like state with similar levels of complement activation as well as circulating levels of IL-1 and TNF were observed following either S. epidermidis or E. coli. These data provide further evidence that host factors such as IL-1 and TNF are common mediators of the septic shock syndrome regardless of the organism.     

The preoptic anterior hypothalamic area mediates initiation of the hypotensive response induced by LPS in male rats

The mechanism responsible for the initiation of endotoxic hypotension is not fully understood, although it is often attributed to a direct effect of LPS and other vasoactive mediators on the vasculature. Alternatively, recent evidence raises the possibility that endotoxic hypotension may be initiated through a central mechanism. Previous studies have shown that LPS initiates fever, sickness behavior, and other aspects of the inflammatory response through a neural pathway that sends peripheral inflammatory signals to the preoptic anterior hypothalamic area (POA). It is also well known that the POA plays a role in the regulation of cardiovascular function, but its involvement in LPS-induced hypotension has not been examined previously. Therefore, the aim of the present paper was to investigate whether the initial abrupt fall in arterial pressure evoked by LPS in septic shock is mediated by the POA. LPS (1 mg/kg, i.v.) administration to halothane-anesthetized or conscious rats lowered arterial blood pressure by 24.8+/-2.9 and 25.1+/-5.8 mmHg, respectively. Bilateral lidocaine (2%; 1 microL) injection into the POA, but not the lateral hypothalamus, prevented the hypotension evoked by LPS entirely in both anesthetized and conscious animals. Remarkably, this blockade significantly inhibited the second, delayed fall in arterial pressure induced by LPS, and simultaneously decreased TNF-alpha plasma levels. Together, these data indicate that the initial phase of endotoxic hypotension is mediated by the POA and suggest that the initiation of the hypotensive response induced by LPS can be essential for the development of the late fall in blood pressure.     

A role for abdominal vagal afferents in lipopolysaccharide-induced hypotension

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mimics many of the effects of septic shock, including hypotension. LPS-induced hypotension has been attributed to nitric oxide (NO) activation of leukocytes, oxidants, cytokines, and other causes. However, there are some observations inconsistent with these "biochemical" causes. This study investigated a "physiological" mechanism: Are abdominal vagal afferent neurons involved in LPS-induced hypotension? The involvement of NO and leukocytes was also considered. Intravenous LPS (5 mg/kg) was used to induce hypotension in anesthetized rats. Subdiaphragmatic vagal activity was blocked with perivagal lidocaine (2%). Intravenous capsaicin (CAP, 1 mg/kg) or resiniferatoxin (RTX, 1 microg/kg) were used to inhibit afferent neural activity about 30 min before LPS. CAP and RTX have different receptors on different afferent nerves. Blood pressure, plasma nitrate and nitrite (NOx), stable products of NO, and leukocytes were measured over 3 h. LPS-induced hypotension was markedly attenuated by perivagal lidocaine and i.v. RTX, but was not affected by i.v. CAP. LPS caused a marked, transient decrease in leukocytes, mainly neutrophils, which was over within 10 min. This early leukocyte response was not affected by treatments that reduced LPS-induced hypotension. NO increased 3 h after LPS, and the changes in NO were not associated with effects of the pretreatments on blood pressure. It was concluded that abdominal vagal afferents are early mediators of LPS-induced hypotension. Also, NO and leukocytes were not direct mediators of the hypotension.     

Peptidoglycan primes for LPS-induced release of proinflammatory cytokines in whole human blood.

The pathophysiological mechanisms involved in mixed bacterial infections caused by gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria are largely unknown. The present study examines the potential interaction between lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and peptidoglycan (PepG) in the induction of the sepsis-associated cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-10 in whole human blood. Plasma values of these cytokines were measured by enzyme immunoassays and a TNF bioassay. Co-administration of PepG (10 microg/mL) or muramyl dipeptide (MDP, 1 microg/mL) with LPS (10 ng/mL) caused significantly elevated values of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in the blood that could not be obtained by the sum of the values obtained by each stimulant alone, or by 3-fold higher doses of either bacterial component alone. This phenomenon was observed 1 h after stimulation, throughout the experimental period (24 h), and with different doses of LPS and PepG. In contrast, the release of IL-10 was not influenced by the co-administration of PepG or MDP with LPS. The TNF-alpha release induced by co-administration of LPS and PepG was abrogated after pretreatment with a monoclonal antibody against CD14 (18D11). Addition of PepG or MDP to whole blood caused a 2-fold increase in the surface expression of CD14 on monocytes, as measured by flow cytometry. In contrast, LPS caused decreased expression of this receptor. Our data suggest that PepG and MDP primes human whole blood leukocytes for LPS-induced release of proinflammatory cytokines. We speculate that synergy between PepG and LPS may contribute to the pathogenesis in sepsis caused by mixed bacterial infections.     

Role for monokines in the metabolic effects of endotoxin. Interferon-gamma restores responsiveness of C3H/HeJ mice in vivo.

To examine the role of cytokines in mediating the lipogenic effects of endotoxin (LPS), we studied the effects of LPS and cytokines on hepatic fatty acid synthesis in LPS-sensitive C3H/OuJ mice and in LPS-resistant C3H/HeJ mice, whose macrophages are defective in the ability to produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and IL-1 in response to LPS. HeJ mice were 16-fold less sensitive than OuJ mice to the lipogenic effect of LPS. In OuJ mice, 10 micrograms of LPS caused a maximal increase in hepatic lipogenesis (3.86 +/- 0.41-fold), whereas in HeJ mice the maximal increase was only 1.79 +/- 0.32-fold after 100 micrograms of LPS. This lipogenic response paralleled the decreased ability of LPS to increase hepatic and splenic levels of mRNAs for TNF and IL-1 and serum levels of TNF in HeJ mice. In contrast, the maximal effect of TNF on lipogenesis was greater and the sensitivity to TNF was increased 2.4-fold in HeJ mice compared to OuJ mice. Administration of IFN-gamma before LPS in HeJ mice had no effect on IL-1 mRNA, but partially restored the LPS-induced increase in hepatic and splenic mRNA for TNF and serum TNF levels, which may account for the partial restoration of sensitivity to the lipogenic effect of LPS after IFN-gamma treatment. These results indicate that cytokines produced by mononuclear leukocytes mediate the lipogenic effects of LPS.     

Differential blood pressure and hormonal effects after glucose and xylose ingestion in chronic autonomic failure

1. To investigate whether carbohydrate contributes to postprandial hypotension in autonomic failure, the cardiovascular, biochemical and hormonal effects of oral glucose and an iso-osmotic solution of oral xylose were studied on separate occasions in six patients with chronic autonomic failure. The effects of oral glucose were also studied in eight normal subjects. 2. In the patients oral glucose lowered blood pressure substantially (-34 +/- 7% at 60 min, area under curve -24.9 +/- 3.5%, P less than 0.001) and for a prolonged period (-25 +/- 4% at 120 min). Plasma noradrenaline levels did not change. In the normal subjects blood pressure was unchanged and plasma noradrenaline rose, suggesting a compensatory increase in sympathetic nervous activity. 3. In the patients xylose caused a smaller and more transient fall in blood pressure (-15 +/- 6% at 90 min, area under curve -8.9 +/- 4%, P less than 0.05) with a non-significant elevation in packed cell volume (36.7 +/- 1.8 to 38.2 +/- 1.8). It was therefore unclear if xylose was exerting osmotic effects within the bowel which contributed to the small blood pressure fall. Packed cell volume did not change in either the patients or normal subjects after glucose. 4. In the patients and normal subjects plasma insulin rose after glucose. Insulin levels were unchanged after xylose. Levels of pancreatic polypeptide and neurotensin, a potential vasodilator, rose in the patients only. The latter rose to a similar extent after both glucose and xylose, making it unlikely that neurotensin alone accounted for the hypotension. 5. These studies indicate that the carbohydrate components of a meal, and in particular those causing insulin release, contribute to postprandial hypotension in patients with autonomic failure.     

A recombinant human receptor antagonist to interleukin 1 improves survival after lethal endotoxemia in mice

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) is an endogenously produced cytokine that mediates a variety of physiological effects that may be beneficial or deleterious to the host. C57Bl/6 mice treated intravenously with a recently characterized human recombinant receptor antagonist protein to IL-1 (IL-1ra) had improved survival when treated after a lethal Escherichia coli endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) challenge. IL-1ra was effective when treatment was initiated after LPS, and intravenous administration every 4 h for 24 h was required. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activity after LPS and in vitro TNF cytotoxicity were not altered by treatment with IL-1ra. These experiments provide direct evidence that the lethal effects of LPS may be mediated through the action of IL-1 and that the IL-1ra can provide a new treatment strategy for disease processes mediated via this cytokine.     

Influence of indomethacin on the haemodynamic effects of lipopolysaccharide in rats

Summary— This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin on the time course of the haemodynamic effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) intravenous infusion (10 mg·kg⁻¹·h⁻¹) in anaesthetized rats. LPS infusion produced a rapid (within 10 min) and prolonged (over the 90 min observation period) fall in mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and a decrease in the pressor responses to noradrenaline (NA, 0.1, 0.3 and 1 μg·kg⁻¹, intravenously [iv]) elicited 60 and 90 min after the onset of LPS infusion. Indomethacin (7 mg·kg⁻¹ iv 30 min prior to the onset of saline or LPS infusion), which by itself did not affect basal MABP nor reactivity to NA in control rats, significantly attenuated the fall in MABP observed within 20 min after the onset of LPS infusion (but did not significantly modify the hypotension observed between 30 and 90 min). Indomethacin also completely prevented the hyporeactivity to NA observed 60 min after the onset of LPS infusion, but it did so only partially at 90 min. Aortic rings removed from LPS or LPS + indomethacin-treated rats showed an identical profile of contractile reactivity (hyporesponsiveness to NA, relaxation to L-arginine, and restoration of the contractile response by methylene blue). These results suggest that in this model, cyclooxygenase products are involved in the early haemodynamic effects of LPS. However, they do not seem to play an obligatory role in the onset of longer term haemodynamic changes.     

Protection against endotoxic shock by bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein in rats.

Bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) is a neutrophil primary granule protein that inhibits effects of LPS in vitro. The current study examined the effects of BPI on hemodynamics, mortality, and circulating endotoxin and cytokines in conscious rats with endotoxic shock. Catheters were implanted into the right femoral artery and vein. 1 d later, human recombinant BPI (10 mg/kg) or vehicle was intravenously injected immediately, 30 min, or 2 h after intravenous injection of LPS (7.5 mg/kg). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate were monitored and blood was collected before and after injection. BPI given immediately or 30 min after LPS prevented the LPS-induced reduction in MAP at 4-8 h and markedly reduced mortality. BPI given 2 h after LPS injection had no protective effect. BPI treated immediately after LPS reduced the circulating levels of endotoxin and IL-6 but increased the circulating levels of TNF. We propose that BPI exerts its protective effect through a TNF-independent mechanism, by inhibiting endotoxin-stimulated production of IL-6.     

Functional involvement of vasopressin in the maintenance of systemic arterial blood pressures after phenoxybenzamine or phentolamine administration: studies in Long-Evans and Brattleboro rats

The alpha adrenoceptor antagonists phenoxybenzamine and phentolamine are reported to have opposite effects on vasopressin release, the former inhibiting and the latter enhancing it. In this study we have assessed the functional involvement of vasopressin in the maintenance of blood pressure in conscious rats after administration of either phenoxybenzamine or phentolamine. In normal (Long-Evans) rats, phenoxybenzamine caused a small fall in arterial blood pressure, whereas phentolamine initially caused a profound hypotension which was followed by a fluctuating recovery back to normotensive levels. Similar effects were seen in rats deficient in hypothalamic vasopressin (Brattleboro strain). Administration of an antagonist of the cardiovascular actions of vasopressin [1-(beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid)-8-D-arginine vasopressin] in the presence of either alpha adrenoceptor antagonist alone was without effect in Long-Evans or Brattleboro rats, but, under these conditions, subsequent administration of captopril caused a profound and sustained hypotension in both strains. Administration of captopril in the presence of either alpha adrenoceptor antagonist alone caused a prompt fall in blood pressure which was sustained for the duration of the experiment in the Brattleboro rats. However, under these conditions, the blood pressure of the Long-Evans rats showed some recovery over the subsequent 45 min; this recovery was antagonized by [1-(beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid)-8-D-argine vasopressin]. It is concluded that after alpha adrenoceptor antagonism with either phenoxybenzamine or phentolamine, the renin-angiotensin system exerts a major pressor influence. However, after captopril administration in the presence of phenoxybenzamine or phentolamine, vasopressin contributes to the maintenance of arterial blood pressure in Long-Evans rats; the magnitude of this contribution is similar irrespective of the alpha adrenoceptor antagonist used.     

Epinephrine inhibits tumor necrosis factor-alpha and potentiates interleukin 10 production during human endotoxemia.

Short-term preexposure of mononuclear cells to epinephrine inhibits LPS-induced production of TNF, whereas preexposure for 24 h results in increased TNF production. To assess the effects of epinephrine infusions of varying duration on in vivo responses to LPS, the following experiments were performed: (a) Blood obtained from eight subjects at 4-24 h after the start of a 24-h infusion of epinephrine (30 ng/kg per min) produced less TNF after ex vivo stimulation with LPS compared with blood drawn before the start of the infusion, and (b) 17 healthy men who were receiving a continuous infusion of epinephrine (30 ng/kg per min) started either 3 h (EPI-3; n = 5) or 24 h (EPI-24; n = 6) were studied after intravenous injection of LPS (2 ng/kg, lot EC-5). EPI-3 inhibited LPS-induced in vivo TNF appearance and also increased IL-10 release (both P < 0.005 versus LPS), whereas EPI-24 only attenuated TNF secretion (P = 0.05). In separate in vitro experiments in whole blood, epinephrine increased LPS-induced IL-10 release by a combined effect on alpha and beta adrenergic receptors. Further, in LPS-stimulated blood, the increase on IL-10 levels caused by epinephrine only marginally contributed to concurrent inhibition of TNF production. Epinephrine, either endogenously produced or administered as a component of sepsis treatment, may have a net antiinflammatory effect on the cytokine network early in the course of systemic infection.     

Interleukin 1 induces a shock-like state in rabbits. Synergism with tumor necrosis factor and the effect of cyclooxygenase inhibition.

In addition to activating T and B lymphocytes, interleukin 1 (IL-1) induces several hematologic and metabolic changes typical of host responses to infection and injury. We now report a new biological property, namely, the induction of hypotension. Rabbits given a single intravenous injection of recombinant human IL-1-beta (5 micrograms/kg) rapidly developed decreased systemic arterial pressure, which reached the lowest levels after 50-60 min and slowly returned to pre-IL-1 values after 3 h. Associated with the hypotension, systemic vascular resistance and central venous pressure fell, while cardiac output and heart rate increased. These responses were prevented by ibuprofen given 15 min before the IL-1. A bolus injection of IL-1 followed by a 2-h infusion sustained the hypotension and was associated with leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Ibuprofen given at the mid-point of the infusion reversed the changes in all hemodynamic parameters, but had no effect on the leukopenia or thrombocytopenia. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) also induced a shock-like state in rabbits. When the dose of IL-1 or TNF was reduced to 1 microgram/kg, no hemodynamic changes were observed; however, the combination of these low doses of both cytokines resulted in a profound shock-like state including histological evidence of severe pulmonary edema and hemorrhage. Pretreatment with ibuprofen prevented the hemodynamic, leukocyte, and platelet changes induced by the low-dose cytokine combination, and ameliorated the pulmonary tissue damage. These results demonstrate that IL-1, like TNF, possesses the ability to induce hemodynamic and hematological changes typical of septic shock, and that the combination of IL-1 and TNF is more potent than either agent alone. These effects seem to require cyclooxygenase products, and suggest that intravenous cyclooxygenase inhibitors may be of therapeutic value in patients with IL-1/TNF-mediated shock.     

Mistletoe lectin-1 increases tumor necrosis factor-alpha release in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated whole blood via inhibition of interleukin-10 production

We examined the immunomodulatory properties of the mistletoe preparation Lektinol (standardized for mistletoe lectin-1) and recombinant mistletoe lectin-1 (rML-1) in vitro by assessing alterations in the cytokine response of human whole blood. Lektinol or rML-1 alone did not induce any cytokine release in unstimulated whole blood. However, the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha was increased, and the secretion of interleukin (IL)-10 was reduced by Lektinol at a mistletoe lectin-1 (ML-1) concentration of 0.5 to 5 ng/ml, whereas the LPS-induced secretion of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-12, and interferon-gamma was not affected. Lektinol did not alter the initial phase of TNF-alpha production but sustained TNF-alpha levels longer than in the LPS controls. Recombinant ML-1, but not the recombinant B-chain alone, also increased TNF-alpha release and decreased IL-10 release. We propose that the increase in TNF-alpha release is due to a specific inhibition of IL-10 release by Lektinol. This conclusion is based on the observation that blocking of endogenously formed IL-10 by a neutralizing antibody results in a similar increase of TNF-alpha in the late production phase after LPS stimulation. This hypothesis was also corroborated by the finding that when endogenously formed IL-10 was blocked, Lektinol could no longer increase TNF-alpha release. These results indicate that Lektinol modulates the cytokine response of human whole blood to LPS in a proinflammatory fashion, which can be attributed to ML-1.     

Differential effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and macrophage colony-stimulating factor on tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1 production in human monocytes

Human peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) cultured in the presence of 100-5,000 u/ml granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) for 24 hr secreted small quantities of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), but not interleukin-1 (IL-1). The activation of PBM to produce TNF was weak and could be blocked by polyclonal anti-GM-CSF anti-serum. Neither LPS nor IL-2 were synergistic with GM-CSF in the production of TNF or IL-1. IFN gamma alone did not induce either cytokine, but in the presence of GM-CSF it caused a synergistic (100-fold) increase in TNF but not IL-1 production. Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) alone or in combination with LPS, IFN gamma or IL-2 did not stimulate PBM to produce TNF or IL-1 in 24 hr culture.     

Neuronal and postjunctional components in the blood pressure effects of dopamine and bromocriptine in rabbits

We have studied the contribution of neuronal and postjunctional dopamine (DA) receptors and of the DA1 and DA2 receptor subtypes to the blood pressure effects of DA and bromocriptine in the rabbit. The norepinephrine release rate, i.e., the rate of entry of endogenous norepinephrine into the plasma, was derived from the plasma level of endogenous norepinephrine and the plasma [3H]norepinephrine clearance. Bromocriptine (40 micrograms kg-1) lowered the norepinephrine release rate and the arterial blood pressure both in anesthetized rabbits and in pithed rabbits with electrically stimulated sympathetic outflow. These effects were antagonized by the selective DA2 antagonist domperidone but not by the selective DA1 antagonist SCH 23390. DA (10-160 micrograms kg-1 min-1) dose-dependently increased the norepinephrine release rate and caused only transient hypotension in anesthetized rabbits. However, after treatment with desipramine, DA did not change the norepinephrine release rate and produced a persistent fall in blood pressure. When DA and domperidone were given simultaneously to desipramine-treated rabbits, the hypotensive effect of DA was unchanged, but now DA increased the norepinephrine release rate. When DA and SCH 23390 were given simultaneously to desipramine-treated rabbits, DA failed to lower blood pressure and decreased the norepinephrine release rate. Propranolol did not change the effects of DA in desipramine-treated rabbits. These results suggest that bromocriptine decreases blood pressure by activating ganglionic and/or prejunctional, inhibitory DA2 receptors in the peripheral sympathetic nervous system. DA also activates these receptors, but in addition releases norepinephrine in the manner of an indirectly acting sympathomimetic amine and activates postjunctional vascular DA1 receptors, and the latter seems to be the main component in DA-induced hypotension.     

Exogenous corticosterone acetate attenuates the hypotension induced by ganglion blockade in conscious Long Evans and Brattleboro rats

The effects of acute administration of corticosterone acetate (7.5 mg/kg bolus; 5 mg.kg-1h-1 infusion) on plasma corticosterone levels and blood pressure (BP) responses to hypotension induced by ganglion blockade (with pentolinium) were studied in conscious Long Evans and Brattleboro (vasopressin-deficient) rats. Steroid infusion raised plasma corticosterone levels similarly in both strains of rat, but there was no effect on resting BP. However, the fall in BP after pentolinium administration was less in the steroid-treated groups of both strains than in their vehicle-injected counterparts. During infusion of pentolinium the ensuing recovery in BP was abolished by captopril administration. Steroid treatment did not affect this recovery but did attenuate the hypotensive effects of captopril. In Long Evans rats, only, there was a further vasopressin-mediated, recovery in BP during the infusion of pentolinium and captopril. This recovery was not accentuated by the presence of the steroid. In a further experiment, infusion of corticosterone acetate after the onset of hypotension (induced by pentolinium, captopril and d(CH2)5DAVP in Long Evans rats or by pentolinium and captopril in Brattleboro rats) caused a progressive increase in BP in both strains. These findings demonstrate a pressor action of corticosterone acetate which is apparent after hypotension induced by ganglionic blockade and which does not necessarily involve any interaction with the renin-angiotensin system or vasopressin.