GABA and bicuculline-induced blood pressure changes in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The brain GABAergic system was previously shown to influence blood pressure (BP) maintenance in rats which may in part be accomplished by disruption of the central renin-angiotensin system (RAS). We examined the potential role of GABA in sustaining the high BP exhibited by the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model of human essential hypertension. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of GABA produced decreases in BP in members of three rat strains, including Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Sprague-Dawley normotensive controls and SHR. The SHR were significantly more sensitive to GABA than the normotensive strains. Next, the GABA receptor antagonist bicuculline (BMI) was infused i.c.v. and produced increases in BP in members of each strain. Finally, i.c.v. pretreatment with the specific angiotensin receptor antagonist [Sar1, Thr8]AII (sarthran), blocked subsequent GABA-induced decreases in BP in members of all three strains, and there was a trend toward sarthran attenuation of BMI-induced increases in BP. These results encourage the hypothesis that the hypotensive effects produced by central application of GABA are mediated by the brain angiotensin system.