Sympathetic nervous system and hypertension during prolonged TxA2/PGH2 receptor activation in rats

The thromboxane A2 (TxA2)/prostaglandin H2 (PGH2) receptor mimetic U-46619 (0.6 microgram.kg-1.min-1) was infused into conscious rats receiving a high-salt diet. U-46619 increased the mean arterial pressure (MAP) over 13 days by 25 +/- 2 mmHg, whereas the MAP of vehicle-infused controls did not change (-2 +/- 2 mmHg). In subgroups infused with U-46619, cardiac output was unchanged, whereas renal blood flow was reduced (before: 8.5 +/- 0.8; day 4: 5.7 +/- 0.7 ml/min; P < 0.01). Ifetroban (a specific TxA2/PGH2 receptor antagonist) reduced MAP to basal levels in the group receiving U-46619 when infused intravenously (1-100 micrograms/kg) but not intracerebroventricularly (1-100 ng/kg). Hexamethonium (10 mg/kg i.v., a ganglionic blocking agent) and prazosin (0.1 mg/kg, an alpha-adrenergic antagonist) decreased MAP significantly (P < 0.05) more in the experimental group (hexamethonium, U-46619: -55 +/- 3 vs. vehicle: -43 +/- 4 mmHg; and prazosin, U-46619: 28 +/- 3 vs. vehicle: 17 +/- 2 mmHg). In conclusion, hypertension during prolonged infusions of U-46619 into conscious, salt-loaded rats is accompanied by an increase in total and renal vascular resistance and is dependent on peripheral but not central TxA2/PGH2 receptors and on the autonomic and alpha 1-adrenergic peripheral sympathetic nervous systems.