Enhancement of central pressor effect of AVP in SHR and WKY rats by intracranial N-G-nitro-L-arginine

The aim of the present study was to find out whether brain nitroxidergic system may be involved in modulation of central cardiovascular effects of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in normotensive (WKY) rats and whether its regulatory effects are altered in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. Two series of experiments were performed on conscious WKY and SHR rats instrumented with the lateral cerebral ventricle (i.c.v.) cannula and with the femoral arterial catheters. In Series 1 (10 WKY, 7 SHR rats), i.c.v. application of 2.3 nmol (0.5 mu g) of N-G-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), an inhibitor of NO synthesis, did not significantly affect baseline arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR). In WKY but not in SHR, i.c.v. administration of 5.8 nmol (1 mu g) of L-arginine (L-ARG) elicited a small, significant decrease of MAP (P < 0.05) which could be reversed by i.c.v. pretreatment with L-NNA. In Series 2 (7 WKY, 8 SHR), administration of 10 pmol of AVP (10 ng) resulted in significant presser effect in both strains; MAP increase being significantly greater in SHR than in WKY rats (P < 0.05). I.c.v. pretreatment with L-NNA significantly intensified the presser response to centrally applied AVP both in WKY (P < 0.01) and in SHR (P < 0.01) rats; the maximum increase of blood pressure to combined administration of L-NNA and AVP being significantly greater in SHR than in WKY rats. The results indicate existence of an interaction between the central vasopressinergic and nitroxidergic system in blood pressure regulation. It is suggested that centrally released AVP increases availability of nitric oxide in the brain cardiovascular regions, whereas NO plays a compensatory role by reducing central presser effect of AVP. Effectiveness of this compensatory mechanism is enhanced in the SHR rats.