Chronically lowering sympathetic activity protects sympathetic nerves in spleens from aging F344 rats

  • Sam D. Perez
  • , Brooke Kozic
  • , Christine A. Molinaro
  • , Srinivasan Thyagarajan
  • , Mark Ghamsary
  • , Cheri L. Lubahn
  • , Dianne Lorton
  • , Denise L. Bellinger

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In the present study, we investigated how increased sympathetic tone during middle-age affects the splenic sympathetic neurotransmission. Fifteen-month-old (M) F344 rats received rilmenidine (0, 0.5 or 1.5. mg/kg/day, i.p. for 90. days) to lower sympathetic tone. Controls for age were untreated 3 or 18. M rats. We report that rilmenidine (1) reduced plasma and splenic norepinephrine concentrations and splenic norepinephrine turnover, and partially reversed the sympathetic nerve loss; and (2) increased β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) density and β-AR-stimulated cAMP production. Collectively, these findings suggest a protective effect of lowering sympathetic tone on sympathetic nerve integrity, and enhanced sympathetic neurotransmission in secondary immune organs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)38-51
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of Neuroimmunology
Volume247
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 15 2012

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology
  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology

Keywords

  • CAMP production
  • Imidazoline-1 receptor agonist
  • Rilmenidine
  • Splenic norepinephrine turnover
  • Sympathetic nervous system
  • β-adrenergic receptors

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