Expression of constitutively active angiotensin receptors in the rostral ventrolateral medulla increases blood pressure

Abstract

Angiotensin type 1A (AT1A) receptors are expressed within the rostral ventrolateral medulla, and microinjections of angiotensin II into this region increase sympathetic vasomotor tone. To determine the effect of sustained increases in AT1A receptor density or activity in rostral ventrolateral medulla, we used radiotelemetry to monitor blood pressure in conscious rats before and after bilateral microinjection into the rostral ventrolateral medulla of adenoviruses encoding the wild-type AT1A receptor or a constitutively active version of the receptor (AsnGly, [N111G]AT1A). The constitutively active receptor signals in the absence of angiotensin II. Adenovirus-directed receptor expression was e..