AUTHOR=Carmichael Casey Y., Wainford Richard D.

TITLE=Brain Gαi2-subunit proteins and the prevention of salt sensitive hypertension

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2015

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2015.00233

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2015.00233

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p>To counter the development of salt-sensitive hypertension, multiple brain G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) systems are activated to facilitate sympathoinhibition, sodium homeostasis, and normotension. Currently there is a paucity of knowledge regarding the role of down-stream GPCR-activated Gα-subunit proteins in these critically important physiological regulatory responses required for long-term blood pressure regulation. We have determined that brain Gαi<sub>2</sub>-proteins mediate natriuretic and sympathoinhibitory responses produced by acute pharmacological (exogenous central nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor (NOP) and α<sub>2</sub>-adrenoceptor activation) and physiological challenges to sodium homeostasis (intravenous volume expansion and 1 M sodium load) in conscious Sprague–Dawley rats. We have demonstrated that in salt-resistant rat phenotypes, high dietary salt intake evokes site-specific up-regulation of hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) Gαi<sub>2</sub>-proteins. Further, we established that PVN Gαi<sub>2</sub> protein up-regulation prevents the development of renal nerve-dependent sympathetically mediated salt-sensitive hypertension in Sprague–Dawley and Dahl salt-resistant rats. Additionally, failure to up-regulate PVN Gαi<sub>2</sub> proteins during high salt-intake contributes to the pathophysiology of Dahl salt-sensitive (DSS) hypertension. Collectively, our data demonstrate that brain, and likely PVN specific, Gαi<sub>2</sub> protein pathways represent a central molecular pathway mediating sympathoinhibitory renal-nerve dependent responses evoked to maintain sodium homeostasis and a salt-resistant phenotype. Further, impairment of this endogenous “anti-hypertensive” mechanism contributes to the pathophysiology of salt-sensitive hypertension.</p>