Central Attenuation of Baroreflex by Angiotensin II in Normotensive and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

To determine whether angiotensin II (A II) can modify baroreflex centrally and contribute to the central resetting of baroreflex in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), the aortic depressor nerve (ADN) was electrically stimulated following intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of A II and/or A II analog in urethane-anesthetized normotensive Wistar rats (WKYs) and SHRs. Electric stimulation of the ADN elicited frequency-dependent depressor, bradycardic, and sympatho-inhibitory responses. Angiotensin II, administered ICV, dose-dependently attenuated these responses induced by ADN stimulation in normotensive rats. We found, however, these attenuations could be abolished by ICV pretreatment with A II analog. Vasopressin (ICV) did not change any responses to ADN stimulation. The vasopressor and sympatho-inhibitory responses to ADN stimulation were significantly less in SHRs when compared with those in WKYs: In SHRs, A II analog completely cancelled the A II-attenuated responses to ADN stimulation. These findings suggest that A II can centrally attenuate baroreflex, which might be independent from vasopressin, and in the brain A II can contribute to the central resetting of baroreflex in SHRs.