Role of endogenous angiotensin II on glutamatergic actions in the rostral ventrolateral medulla in Goldblatt hypertensive rats

In this study, we investigated the cardiovascular responses mediated by rostral ventrolateral medulla neurons (RVLM) in the Goldblatt hypertension model (2K-1C) treated or not treated with captopril. The actions of glutamate into the RVLM were tested, injecting glutamate (0.1 mol/L, 100 nL) and its antagonist kynurenic acid (0.02 mol/L, 100 nL). Glycine (0.5 mol/L, 100 nL) was also microinjected. Experiments were performed in male Wistar rats (weight, 250 to 300 g); 5 groups were studied: (1) 2K-1C nontreated (H, n=6); (2) 2K-1C treated with captopril, 10 mg/kg per day (Ht10, n=10); (3) 2K-1C treated with captopril, 50 mg/kg per day (Ht50, n=7); ( 4) control normotensive rats (N, n=7); and ( 5) normotensive rats treated with captopril, 50 mg/kg per day (Nt50, n=8). All experiments in 2K-1C were performed 6 weeks after renal surgery; captopril treatment lasted for the last 2 weeks. In urethane-anesthetized rats (1.2 g/kg IV), bilateral microinjection of glycine into the RVLM caused a depressor response; there was no difference between groups in relation to the change of variation (N: 54+/-2; H: 46+/-12; Ht10: 50+/-3, and Ht50: 42+/-7 mm Hg). Only in the H group, kynurenic acid microinjection into the RVLM caused a depressor response (H: 158+/-8 to 132+/-8 mm Hg). Glutamate response was larger in hypertensive than in normotensive rats (N: 38+/-2.6 and H: 55+/-6); no difference was observed between hypertensive groups. The data suggest that glutamate acts tonically to drive the RVLM in 2K-1C rats, and this action is modulated by endogenous angiotensin II. The increase in the glutamate actions within the RVLM may contribute to the pathogenesis of renovascular hypertension.