Role of angiotensin in the rostral ventrolateral medulla in the pressor response to aversive stress

Abstract

Mice with global knockout of the AT1AR have an attenuated pressor response to aversive stress. Under isoflurane anesthesia, AT1AR knockout (AT1A−/−) mice were implanted with radiotelemeters to measure blood pressure (BP). After one week the mice were re‐anesthetised (75μg/g ketamine, 10μg/g xylazine IP) and replication‐deficient lentiviruses, expressing AT1AR (n=7) or GFP (n=5) under the control of a catecholamine‐selective promoter (PRSx8) were microinjected into the RVLM bilaterally. After three weeks, mice were subjected to 5‐min restraint stress, novel food presentation, and 60‐mins in a different cage previously occupied by another male mouse (cage‐switch test). Resting BP was not affec..