Carotid sinus baroreflex control of beta-endorphin release in anesthetized dogs

A quantitative assessment of the carotid sinus baroreflex release of endogenous plasma beta-endorphin-like immunoreactive material has been established. The carotid sinuses of 12 pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized dogs were isolated bilaterally and perfused with a constant pressure maintained by infusion or withdrawal of normal saline. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were monitored. Carotid sinus pressure (CSP) was changed from 200 to 50 mmHg in 25 mmHg steps before and after vagotomy. At each interval of CSP, 10 ml mixed venous blood were collected, and beta-endorphin-like peptides were extracted from plasma and assayed. Concentrations of plasma beta-endorphin-like material were determined by radioimmunoassay. Sigmoidal responses of MAP and HR were revealed during changes in CSP. No significant differences in beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (beta-END-L-I) were measured at CSP of 200 and 50 in the intact condition (35.9 +/- 3.9 and 35.0 +/- 6.4 fm/ml, respectively). However, after vagotomy, beta-END-L-I measured at 50 mmHg CSP was significantly elevated to 53.3 +/- 5.2 fm/ml compared with the value of 35.5 +/- 7.2 fm/ml at CSP of 200 mmHg. The results suggest that the release of beta-endorphin is modulated by the action of the carotid baroreflex as a normal component of an integrated efferent response. However, this response is normally buffered by reflexes with vagal afferents.