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Endothelial NOS expression within the ventrolateral medulla can affect cardiovascular function during static exercise
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 179 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Ahmmed.Ally@mcphs.edu
Brain Research
|February 1, 2008
Summary
Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats attenuated cardiovascular responses during exercise. This was linked to altered endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression in the brainstem
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Stroke, often caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), damages brain tissue and affects cardiovascular regulation.
- Previous research indicated neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) alterations in the ventrolateral medulla (VLM) impact cardiovascular function post-MCAO.
- The role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in VLM cardiovascular integration during stroke pathophysiology remained unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the eNOS isoform in the rostral (RVLM) and caudal (CVLM) ventrolateral medulla in cardiovascular control following transient focal cerebral ischemia.
- To compare cardiovascular responses to static muscle contraction and eNOS expression in sham-operated rats versus rats subjected to MCAO.
Main Methods:
- Induction of temporary 90-minute one-sided MCAO followed by 24-hour reperfusion in rats.
- Measurement of arterial pressure responses during static muscle contraction.
- Quantification of eNOS protein expression in the four quadrants of the RVLM and CVLM.
Main Results:
- MCAO rats exhibited attenuated increases in arterial pressure during muscle contraction compared to sham rats.
- Left-sided MCAO led to decreased ipsilateral RVLM eNOS expression but affected both RVLM quadrants in sham rats.
- eNOS expression significantly increased in the ipsilateral CVLM of MCAO rats compared to sham rats and the contralateral CVLM.
Conclusions:
- Attenuation of cardiovascular responses during exercise post-MCAO may be partly due to reduced ipsilateral RVLM eNOS and increased ipsilateral CVLM eNOS expression.
- eNOS protein within the ventrolateral medulla plays a significant role in mediating cardiovascular responses during static exercise in stroke models.
- These findings highlight eNOS as a potential therapeutic target for managing cardiovascular dysfunction after stroke.
