Functional selectivity of central Gα-subunit proteins in mediating the cardiovascular and renal excretory responses evoked by central α(2) -adrenoceptor activation in vivo.

Activation of brain α(2) -adrenoceptors in conscious rodents decreases heart rate (HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and increases urine output and urinary sodium excretion. In vitro, α(2) -adrenoceptor stimulation activates Gα(i(1-3)) , Gα(o) and Gα(s) -subunit protein-gated signal transduction pathways. Here we have investigated whether these same Gα-subunit protein-gated pathways mediate the cardiovascular and renal excretory responses to central α(2) -adrenoceptor activation in conscious Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were pre-treated by intracerebroventricular injection (i.c.v.) with an oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) targeted to a Gα(i1) , Gα(i2) , Gα(i3) , Gα(o) , Gα(s) or a scrambled (SCR) ODN sequence (25 µg, 24 h). On the day of study, the α(2) -adrenoceptor agonist guanabenz (50 µg) or saline vehicle, was injected i.c.v. into ODN-pre-treated conscious rats. MAP and HR were recorded, and urine was collected for 150 min. In vehicle- and SCR ODN-pre-treated rats, i.c.v. guanabenz decreased MAP and HR, and produced marked diuretic and natriuretic responses. Selective ODN-mediated down-regulation of brain Gα(i2) -subunit proteins abolished the central guanabenz-induced hypotension and natriuresis. In contrast, following selective Gα(s) down-regulation, the characteristic hypotensive response to i.c.v. guanabenz was converted to an immediate increase in MAP. The bradycardic and diuretic responses to i.c.v. guanabenz were not blocked by pre-treatment with any ODN. There was functional selectivity of Gα(i2) and Gα(s) subunit protein-gated signal transduction pathways in mediating the hypotensive and natriuretic, but not bradycardic or diuretic, responses evoked by central α(2) -adrenoceptor activation in vivo.