Enhanced adipose afferent reflex contributes to sympathetic activation in diet-induced obesity hypertension

We recently found that adipose afferent reflex (AAR) induced by chemical stimulation of white adipose tissue (WAT) increased sympathetic outflow and blood pressure in normal rats. The study was designed to test the hypothesis that AAR contributes to sympathetic activation in obesity hypertension. Male rats were fed with a control diet (12% kcal as fat) or high-fat diet (42% kcal as fat) for 12 weeks to induce obesity hypertension. Stimulation of WAT with capsaicin increased renal sympathetic nerve activity and mean arterial pressure. Both AAR and WAT afferent activity were enhanced in obesity hypertension (OH) compared with obesity nonhypertension (ON) and in ON compared with obesity-resistant or control diet rats. WAT sensory denervation induced by resiniferatoxin caused greater decreases in renal sympathetic nerve activity and mean arterial pressure in OH than ON and in ON than obesity-resistant or control. The depressor effect of resiniferatoxin lasted ≥ 3 weeks in OH. Leptin antagonist in WAT reduced renal sympathetic nerve activity and mean arterial pressure in OH. WAT injection of capsaicin increased plasma renin, angiotensin II, and norepinephrine levels in OH and caused more c-fos expression in paraventricular nucleus in OH than ON and in ON than obesity-resistant or control rats. Inhibiting paraventricular nucleus neurons with lidocaine attenuated renal sympathetic nerve activity in OH and ON, decreased mean arterial pressure in OH, and abolished the capsaicin-induced AAR in all groups. The results indicate that enhanced AAR contributes to sympathetic activation in OH, and paraventricular nucleus plays an important role in the enhanced AAR and sympathetic activation in OH.