Evidence of differential control of renal and lumbar sympathetic nerve activity in conscious rabbits

Abstract

Evidence of differential control of renal and lumbar sympathetic nerve activity in conscious rabbits.Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 290: R701–R708, 2006. First published October 20, 2005; doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00504.2005.—We have explored the possibility that renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and vasomotor sympathetic nerve activity are differentially regulated. We measured sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) to the kidney and the hind limb vasculature in seven conscious rabbits 6 – 8 days after the implantation of recording electrodes. Acute infusion of N G -nitro-Larginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (6 mg kg 1 min 1 for 5 min) led to an increase in blood pressure (from 66 1 to 82 3 mmHg) and a decrease in heart rate (from 214 15 to 160 13 bpm). L-NAME administration caused a significantly greater decrease in RSNA than lumbar sympathetic nerve activity (LSNA) (to 68 14% vs. 84 4% of control values, respectively). Volume expansion (1.5 ml kg 1 min 1 ) resulted in a significant decrease in RSNA to 66 7% of control levels but no change in LSNA (127 20%). There was no difference in the gain of the baroreflex curves between the LSNA and RSNA [maximum gain of 7.6 0.4 normalized units (nu)/ mmHg for LSNA vs. 7.9 0.75 nu/mmHg for RSNA]. A hypoxic stimulus (10% O2 and 3% CO2) led to identical increases in both RSNA and LSNA (195 40% and 158 21% of control values, respectively). Our results indicate tailored differential control of RSNA and LSNA in response to acute stimuli.