Role of the area postrema in angiotensin II modulation of baroreflex control of heart rate in conscious mice

This study reports the effects of angiotensin II (ANG II), arginine vasopression (AVP), phenylephrine (PE), and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on baroreflex control of heart rate in the presence and absence of the area postrema (AP) in conscious mice. In intact, sham-lesioned mice, baroreflex-induced decreases in heart rate due to increases in arterial pressure with intravenous infusions of ANG II were significantly less than those observed with similar increases in arterial pressure with PE (slope: -3.0 +/- 0.9 vs. -8.1 +/- 1.5 beats x min(-1) x mmHg(-1)). Baroreflex-induced decreases in heart rate due to increases in arterial pressure with intravenous infusions of AVP were the same as those observed with PE in sham animals (slope: -5.8 +/- 0.7 vs. -8.1 +/- 1.5 beats x min(-1) x mmHg(-1)). After the AP was lesioned, the slope of baroreflex inhibition of heart rate was the same whether pressure was increased with ANG II, AVP, or PE. The slope of the baroreflex-induced increases in heart rate due to decreases in arterial blood pressure with SNP were the same in sham- and AP-lesioned animals. These results indicate that, similar to other species, in mice the ability of ANG II to acutely reset baroreflex control of heart rate is dependent on an intact AP.