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Piezo1 channel activation facilitates baroreflex afferent neurotransmission with subsequent blood pressure reduction in control and hypertension rats

Acta Pharmacologica Sinica volume 45, pages 76–86 (2024)Cite this article

Abstract

Mechanosensitive cation channels such as Piezo1 and Piezo2 are activated by mechanical force like a starched wall of the aorta while blood pressure (BP) rising, which helps to elucidate the underlying mechanism of mechanotransduction of baroreceptor endings. In this study we investigated how Piezo1 channel activation-mediated gender- and afferent-specific BP regulation in rats. We established high-fat diet and fructose drink-induced hypertension model rats (HFD-HTN) and deoxycorticosterone (DOCA)-sensitive hypertension model rats. We showed that the expression levels of Piezo1 and Piezo2 were significantly up-regulated in left ventricle of HFD and DOCA hypertensive rats, whereas the down-regulation of Piezo1 was likely to be compensated by Piezo2 up-regulation in the aorta. Likewise, down-regulated Piezo1 was observed in the nodose ganglion (NG), while up-regulated Piezo2 was found in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), which might synergistically reduce the excitatory neurotransmitter release from the presynaptic membrane. Notably, microinjection of Yoda1 (0.025–2.5 mg/ml) into the NG concentration-dependently reduced BP in both hypertensive rat models as well as in control rats with similar EC50; the effect of Yoda1 was abolished by microinjection of a Piezo1 antagonist GsMTx4 (1.0 μM). Functional analysis in an in vitro aortic arch preparation showed that instantaneous firing frequency of single Ah-fiber of aortic depressor nerve was dramatically increased by Yoda1 (0.03–1.0 μM) and blocked by GsMTx4 (1.0 μM). Moreover, spontaneous synaptic currents recorded from identified 2nd-order Ah-type baroreceptive neurons in the NTS was also facilitated over 100% by Yoda1 (1.0 μM) and completely blocked by GsMTx4 (3.0 μM). These results demonstrate that Piezo1 expressed on Ah-type baroreceptor and baroreceptive neurons in the NG and NTS plays a key role in a sexual-dimorphic BP regulation under physiological and hypertensive condition through facilitation of baroreflex afferent neurotransmission, which is presumably collaborated by Piezo2 expression at different level of baroreflex afferent pathway via compensatory and synergistic mechanisms.

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Fig. 1: Changes of BP and cardiac structure, Piezos mRNA and protein in HFD-HTN model rats.
Fig. 2: Immunofluorescence and tissue distribution of Piezo channels in the NG and NTS.
Fig. 3: Effects of Yoda1 by microinjected into the NG on BP in HFD-HTN and control rats.
Fig. 4: Piezo1 activation significantly facilitates discharge of Ah-type fibers of aortic depressor nerve.
Fig. 5: Piezo1 activation significantly facilitates baroreflex afferent neurotransmission.
Fig. 6: Schematic illustration: Piezo1 channel activation facilitates baroreflex (BRx) afferent neurotransmission and plays a fundamental role in blood pressure (BP) homeostasis and hypotensive action in hypertension rats.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China 81971326 and 81573431 to BYL; 82204387 to DW.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China

    Chang-peng Cui, Xue Xiong, Jia-xin Zhao, Dong-hong Fu, Yan Zhang, Peng-bo Ma, Di Wu & Bai-yan Li

  2. Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116023, China

    Di Wu

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Cui, Cp., Xiong, X., Zhao, Jx. et al. Piezo1 channel activation facilitates baroreflex afferent neurotransmission with subsequent blood pressure reduction in control and hypertension rats. Acta Pharmacol Sin 45, 76–86 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41401-023-01154-y

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