Catecholamine and cortisol responses of horses to incremental exertion

The responses of the plasma concentrations of catecholamines and cortisol in horses to varied relative intensities of exertion were examined. The plasma concentrations of cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine increased significantly (p<0.05) with exertion. The plasma cortisol concentrations at relative work intensities of 48.3%±1.4%, 82.3%±2.0% and 99.6%±0.4% of VO_2max were 114%, 124%, and 126%, respectively, of those at rest, whereas the plasma epinephrine concentrations were 239%, 772% and 3483%, and the norepinephrine concentrations were 138%, 255%, and 1121% of the values at rest. There was a significant (p<0.0001) relationship between the plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations. The blood lactate concentration and the plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations were significantly (p<0.0001) related, as were the relative work intensity (%VO_2max) and the plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations. The relationships between the plasma cortisol concentration and work intensity or blood lactate concentration were not significant (p>0.05). This study demonstrates a relationship between relative work intensity and indicators of adrenal medullary and sympathetic activity during brief exertion in horses.     

Carbohydrate metabolism and hepatic zonation in the Atlantic hagfish,Myxine glutinosa liver: effects of hormones

Viable Atlantic hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) hepatocytes were isolated from combined or separated large and small lobes and carbohydrate metabolism was studied. Cells had low levels of glycogen (16–30 μmol·g⁻¹), and low rates of total glucose production (TGP; 0–480 nmol·h⁻¹·g⁻¹ cells). Lactate flux to glucose (5.5 nmol·h⁻¹·g⁻¹) and CO₂ (76 nmol·h⁻¹·g⁻¹) was lower than reported values for teleosts, with a low percentage (30%) of the lactate carbon reaching glucose. Insulin significantly increased total glucose production and gluconeogenesis and decreased 6-phosphofructo 1-kinase (PFK-1) activities and glucose oxidation, while glucagon was without effect on any parameter studied. Forskolin significantly increased TGP. Epinephrine (Epi), norepinephrine (NEpi), isoproterenol (Iso), and phenylephrine (Phe) all decreased CO₂ production from lactate; propanolol blocked the effects of Epi, NEpi, and Iso. The large lobe, accounting for 65% of total liver mass, had a higher glycogen content and higher CO₂ production from lactate compared to the small lobe. Furthermore, enzyme activities in the large lobe were greater than in the small lobe, with the exception of glycogen phosphorylase (GPase) which exhibited smaller %a values in the large lobe. These data indicate the presence of a hormonally-responsive carbohydrate metabolism in hagfish hepatocytes, which is qualitatively and quantitatively different between the two liver lobes.     

Tyrosine hydroxylase activity and dopamine turnover of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) brain: the special status of the hypothalamus

The dynamics of catecholamine (CA)-synthesis enzymes have been poorly studied in fish. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme of CA synthesis has been only studied inin vitro conditions. In the present report thein vivo CA synthesis and the CA metabolism were studied in different regions of the forebrain of the rainbow trout. Levels of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and the rate of accumulation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) were determined by HPLC following a treatment with hydroxybenzylhydrazine (NSD), a potential inhibitor of DOPA decarboxylase. Kinetics of the accumulation of DOPA and of the decline of DOPAC were in agreement with those found in rat, evidencing that the accumulation of DOPA following NSD can be used in trout to quantify thein vivo enzymatic activity of tyrosine hydroxylase. Experiments using treatment with NSD or with methyl-p-tyrosine reached a same conclusion: the DA neuronal activity in trout is much higher than NE neuronal activity. However, the hypothalamus had high DA levelsvs. lowin vitro andin vivo TH activities and exhibited a low CA turnover.     

Initial Experience with Norepinephrine Infusion in Hypotensive Critically III Foals

Seven critically ill foals that continued to be hypotensive despite fluid resuscitation and the infusion of dobutamine and/or dopamine were treated with an infusion of norepinephrine (noradrenaline). The norepinephrine was administered concurrently with dobutamine, and the combination therapy was titrated by use of indirect mean arterial pressure measurements. The highest dose of norepinephrine used was 1.5 mcg/kg/min. In six foals the administration of norepinephrine was associated with an increase in blood pressure. In one foal the mean arterial pressure did not increase in response to the doses of norepinephrine administered. All of the foals experienced an increase in urine output coincident with the start of the norepinephrine infusion. Three of the foal survived to hospital discharge.     

Evaluation of indirect blood pressure monitoring in awake and anesthetized red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis): effects of cuff size, cuff placement, and monitoring equipment

ObjectiveTo compare Doppler and oscillometric methods of indirect arterial blood pressure (IBP) with direct arterial measurements in anesthetized and awake red-tailed hawks.Study designProspective, randomized, blinded study.AnimalsSix, sex unknown, adult red-tailed hawks.MethodsBirds were anesthetized and IBP measurements were obtained by oscillometry (IBP-O) and Doppler (IBP-D) on the pectoral and pelvic limbs using three cuffs of different width based on limb circumference: cuff 1 (20–30% of circumference), cuff 2 (30–40%), and cuff 3 (40–50%). Direct arterial pressure measurements were obtained from the contralateral superficial ulnar artery. Indirect blood pressure measurements were compared to direct systolic arterial pressure (SAP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) during normotension and induced states of hypotension and hypertension. Measurements were also obtained in awake, restrained birds. Three-way anova, linear regression and Bland–Altman analyses were used to evaluate the IBP-D data. Results are reported as mean bias (95% confidence intervals).ResultsThe IBP-O monitor reported errors during 54% of the measurements. Indirect blood pressure Doppler measurements were most accurate with cuff 3 and were comparable to MAP with a bias of 2 (?9, 13 mmHg). However, this cuff consistently underestimated SAP with a bias of 33 (19, 48 mmHg). Variability in the readings within and among birds was high. There was no significant difference between sites of cuff placement. Awake birds had SAP, MAP and diastolic arterial pressure that were 56, 43, and 38 mmHg higher than anesthetized birds.Conclusions and clinical relevanceIndirect blood pressure (oscillometric) measurements were unreliable in red-tailed hawks. Indirect blood pressure (Doppler) measurements were closer to MAP measurements than SAP measurements. There was slightly better agreement with the use of cuff 3 on either the pectoral or pelvic limbs. Awake, restrained birds have significantly higher arterial pressures than those under sevoflurane anesthesia.     

Cardiovascular effects of dose escalating of norepinephrine in healthy dogs anesthetized with isoflurane

ObjectiveTo evaluate the systemic cardiovascular effects of dose escalating administration of norepinephrine in healthy dogs anesthetized with isoflurane.Study designExperimental study.AnimalsA total of six adult laboratory Beagle dogs, 10.5 (9.2–12.0) kg [median (range)].MethodsEach dog was anesthetized with isoflurane at an end-tidal concentration of 1.7%, mechanically ventilated and administered a continuous rate infusion of rocuronium (0.5 mg kg^–1 hour^–1). Each dog was administered incremental dose rates of norepinephrine (0.05, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 μg kg^–1 minute^–1), and each dose was infused for 15 minutes. Cardiovascular variables were recorded before administration and at the end of each infusion period.ResultsNorepinephrine infusion increased mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac output (CO) and oxygen delivery in a dose-dependent manner. Systemic vascular resistance did not significantly change during the experiment. Stroke volume increased at the lower dose rates and heart rate increased at the higher dose rates. Oxygen consumption and lactate concentrations did not significantly change during infusions.ConclusionsIn dogs anesthetized with isoflurane, norepinephrine increased MAP by increasing the CO. CO increased with a change in stroke volume at lower dose rates of norepinephrine. At higher dosage, heart rate also contributed to an increase in CO. Norepinephrine did not cause excessive vasoconstriction that interfered with the CO during this study.Clinical relevanceNorepinephrine can be useful for treating hypotension in dogs anesthetized with isoflurane.     

Catecholamine synthesis in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) brain: modulation of tyrosine hydroxylase activity

Levels of catecholamines and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity were measured in brain homogenates from female rainbow trout. In triploid fish or in diploid fish in ovarian recrudescence, the patterns of catecholamine content expressed as a function of in vitro TH activity vary in different areas of the brain. K_m for the pterin cofactor is lower in the telencephalon than in the hypothalamus. Dopamine (DA) and 2-hydroxyestradiol (20HE₂) inhibit TH activity (by competitive and non-competitive interaction respectively). The K₁ for DA were different in the telencephalon and the hypothalamus and this could explain the different patterns of catecholamine levels and TH activity for these two structures. 20HE₂ inhibits TH activity in vitro; a catechol moiety is required since estradiol (E₂) is notinhibitory. However, the exact mechanism of inhibition remains unclear. The rapid effect of 20HE₂ cannot explain the previously reported activation of catecholamine synthesis by E₂ in vivo.

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Reśumé Les taux de catécholamines cérébrales et l'activité in vitro de la tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) ont été déterminés chez la truite arc en ciel femelle. Chez des animaux triploides ou diploides en recrudescence ovarienne, les taux de catécholamines sont corrélés différemment à l'activité TH selon la structure cérébrale considérée. Le télencéphale présente un K_m apparent pour la ptérine plus faible que l'hypothalamus. La dopamine (DA) et le 2-hydroxyestradiol (20HE₂) inhibent l'activité de la TH selon des mécanismes respectivement compétitifs Les différents K₁ pour la DA obtenus au niveau du télencéphale et de l'hypothalamus pourraient expliquer les différentes relations entre taux de catécholamines et activité TH obtenues pour ces deux structures. Le 20HE₂ inhibe également l'activité TH in vitro: la présence d'un radical catéchol s'avère nécessaire (l'oestradiol (E₂) n'est pas actif par lui-même), mais le mécanisme de l'inhibition reste à déterminer. Les effets rapides du 20HE₂ ne peuvent expliquer l'activation de la synthèse catécholaminergique par l'E₂ in vivo démontrée antérieurement.

     

L-NAME在大鼠失血性低血压期间对多巴胺与去甲肾上腺素升压效应的影响

目的：观察大鼠失血性低血压期间，一氧化氮（NO）和一氧化氮合酶减少对多巴胺（DA）与去甲肾上腺素（NE）升压效应的影响。方法；戊巴比妥钠麻醉的SD大鼠24只，随机分为DA实验组与对照组各5只，NE实验组与对照组各7只。实验组失血前静脉注射NG－nitro－L－argininemethylester（L－NAME，1mg／kg体重），回输血液后静脉注射L－arginine（L－Arg，100mg／kg体重），对照组不作任何处理。股动脉抽血使平均动脉压（MAP）降至5．0kPa左右，维持120min，于低血压期间，每隔30min，及回输血液后10min，静脉注射L－Arg后10min等时间点，静脉注射DA（20μg／kg体重）或NE（10μg／kg体重）。结果：经L－NAME处理的大鼠，存活时间延长，回输血液后，BP基本恢复至失血前水平，无论在低血压期间或血液回输后，对DA、NE的升压反应均增强，实验组MAP回升值明显高于对照组（P＜0．05），L－Arg可抑制此作用。心率（HR）反应在L－NAME处理鼠与对照鼠之间无差异。结论。在重度失血性低血压期间，L－NAME可以增强血管对DA、NE等缩血管药物的敏感性，在动物的存活和血管张力的调节方面起有益作用。