Both brain angiotensin II and "ouabain" contribute to sympathoexcitation and hypertension in Dahl S rats on high salt intake

Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl S) and salt-resistant (Dahl R) rats from 5 to 9 weeks of age received a regular or high salt diet and concomitantly an intracerebroventricular infusion of the angiotensin type 1 blocker losartan (1 mg . kg(-1) . d(-1)) or antibody Fab fragments, which bind ouabain and related steroids with high affinity, or gamma-globulins as control (200 mu g/d for both). At 9 weeks of age, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), central venous pressure, and renal sympathetic nerve activity were recorded in conscious rats at rest and in response to air stress and to intracerebroventricular alpha(2)-agonist guanabenz (50 mu g) and ouabain (0.5 mu g). Baroreflex function was assessed by acute volume expansion with intravenous 5% dextrose and ramp changes of BP by +/-50 mm Hg induced by intravenous phenylephrine and sodium nitroprusside. In Dahl S but not R rats, high salt significantly increased BP and HR; enhanced BP, HR, and renal sympathetic nerve activity responses to air stress and guanabenz; and attenuated cardiopulmonary and arterial baroreflex control of renal sympathetic nerve activity and HR. Both losartan and Fab fragments prevented these responses to high salt to a similar extent in Dahl S rats but had no effect in Dahl R rats on high salt. Sympathoexcitatory responses to ouabain were attenuated in Dahl S on high versus regular salt and were abolished in Dahl R or S treated with losartan or Fab fragments. Consistent with previous studies in SHR, the present data indicate that in Dahl S on high salt, both brain "ouabain" and angiotensin II contribute to decreased sympathoinhibition and increased sympathoexcitation, impairment of baroreflex, and therefore hypertension.