CENTRAL ALPHA(2)-ADRENOCEPTORS AND BLOOD-PRESSURE REGULATION IN THE RAT

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 1995

Authors

José Pedro Nunes (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: European Journal of Pharmacology

Vol. 278

Pages: 183-185

ISSN: 0014-2999

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 18 Citations

Scopus - 14 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-001-GWG

DOI: 10.1016/0014-2999(95)00180-s

Abstract (EN): The role of alpha(2)-adrenoceptors in the central regulation of blood pressure has been questioned, since drugs such as clonidine stimulate both alpha(2)-adrenoceptors and imidazoline-preferring receptors. The present work was undertaken to study the influence of alpha(2D)-adrenoceptors, encoded by the RG20 gene, on blood pressure in the rat. An antisense phosphodiester oligodeoxynucleotide, directed at nucleotides 4-21 of the RG20 gene, was injected in the right lateral cerebral ventricle, causing an increase in systolic blood pressure, both at 1 and 2 days after the injection, when compared to groups of control rats (injected with the sense oligodeoxynucleotide or a missense oligodeoxynucleotide or distilled water). Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides directed either at nucleotides 65-82 of the RG10 gene (encoding for alpha(2C)-adrenoceptors) or at nucleotides 26-43 of the RNG gene (encoding for alpha(2B)-adrenoceptors), failed to produce any change in blood pressure after being injected. We conclude that the alpha(2)-adrenoceptor encoded by the RG20 gene may play a role in blood pressure regulation in the rat.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 3