The brain atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) neuronal system appears to be involved in the increase in plasma ANP which follows blood volume expansion in the rat. To determine if this neuronal system is essential to the natriuresis and increase in plasma ANP which follow volume expansion, highly specific antiserum against ANP (ANP-AB) and/or normal rabbit serum as a control was microinjected into the third cerebral ventricle (3V) of conscious rats, and the effect on the natriuresis and increase in plasma ANP induced by intravenous injection of 2 ml/l00 g body weight of 0.3 M NaCl was examined. Although there was no effect of ANP-AB on initial levels of plasma ANP or natriuresis 3 h after 3V injection, the natriuresis in response to blood volume expansion was significantly inhibited. The increase in plasma ANP which followed volume expansion was also significantly reduced at 5 min but recovered at 15 min. The results indicate that the brain ANP neuronal system plays an essential role in the mediation of volume expansion-induced increase in plasma ANP and natriuresis. The failure to block these responses completely may be due to the use of an inadequate dose of antiserum or other brain mechanisms may be able to mediate these responses.
Since endothelin has been localized in neurons in areas involved in water and electrolyte metabolism, areas which also contain atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) neurons, we determined whether endothelin would release ANP and induce natriuresis. Endothelin-3 (ET-3) in doses ranging from 38 to 760 pmol was microinjected into the third ventricle (3V) of conscious, water-loaded male rats, and the effect on natriuresis and plasma ANP was determined. ET-3 evoked a dose-related natriuresis beginning within 20 min of injection. Even the lowest dose tested (38 pmol) was effective. At a dose of 95 pmol, it produced a rapid increase of plasma ANP within 5 min peaking at 20 min. A slight kaliuresis and antidiuresis was observed at the 2 highest doses of 380 and 760 pmol. The urinary changes following 3V injection of ET-3 were similar to those evoked by ANP, except for the antidiuresis with increased sodium concentration which followed injection of the 2 higher doses. These results suggest that these 2 higher doses also released vasopressin. Alternatively, activation of the sympathetic nervous system by these higher doses may have decreased glomerular filtration rate and been in part responsible for the antidiuresis. The results with 3V injection of ET-3 contrasted sharply with those obtained following intravenous injection of the 95-pmol dose injected intra-ventricularly. This intravenous dose of ANP induced a transient decrease in sodium and potassium excretion and urine volume, maximal at 20 min, and had no effect on plasma ANP concentrations at 5 or 20 min after injection. Previous experiments have shown that the hypothalamic ANP neuronal system plays an essential role in the volume expansion-induced release of ANP and the subsequent natriuresis. We speculate that endothelin released in the brain following volume expansion may activate the ANP neuronal system which is then followed by an increased release of ANP from the atria and possibly from the brain. Further experiments will be necessary to validate this hypothesis.
These results suggest that the effect of IB-MECA on scototaxis are mediated by a VDCC-NO-SERT pathway. While NO seems to mediate the effects of IB-MECA on geotaxis, neither VDCCs nor SERT seems to be involved in this process.
Exposure to alumina dust has been recently associated with impaired lung mechanics and inflammation. We aimed at evaluating if moderate exercise training prevents these outcomes. Twenty-three female BALB/c mice (25-30g) were randomly divided in two main groups: control (C) and exercise (E), which were submitted, or not, to 15min of swimming, 5 days/week during 4 weeks. Then, the animals were exposed for 1h to either saline solution (CS or ES) or to a suspension of 8mg/m(3) of alumina dust (CA or EA). Twenty-four hours later pulmonary mechanics was determined by the end-inflation occlusion method. Left lungs were prepared for histology and right lungs for TGF-β determination. Static elastance increased after alumina dust exposure independently of swimming. In CA group the viscoelastic component of elastance, the viscoelastic/inhomogeneous pressure, the polymorphonuclear amount, the fraction area of alveolar collapse and TGF-β increased. Thus, exercise training may mitigate the pro-inflammatory response to inhaled aluminum refinery dust.
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