Bezold-Jarisch reflex in sino-aortic denervated malnourished rats

In this study we assessed the role of Bezold-Jarisch reflex (BJR) in the regulation of blood pressure (BP) of malnourished (MN) and control rats (CN) with sino-aortic denervation (SAD). Fischer rats were fed diets containing either 6% (MN) or 15% (CN) protein for 35 days after weaning. These rats underwent sham or SAD and catheterization of femoral artery and vein for BP measurements and drug injection. Phenylbiguanide (PBG 5 μg/kg, i.v.) for activation BJR, produced bradycardia (− 317 ± 22 bpm for CN vs. −  372 ± 16 bpm for MN) and hypotension (− 57 ± 4 mm Hg for CN vs. − 54 ± 6 mm Hg for MN. After SAD, MN rats had reduced hypotensive (− 37 ± 7 mmHg for MN vs. − 82 ± 6 mm Hg for CN) and bradycardic (− 124 ± 17 for MN vs. −  414 ± 20 bpm CN) responses to BJR activation. To evaluate the contribution of the parasympathetic component due to BJR for the fall in BP, methyl atropine bromide, was given between two injections of PBG (5 μg/kg) separated by 10 min each other. Both bradycardic (− 216 ± 21 bpm before and − 4±3 bpm after for CN − 226±43 bpm before and − 9±20 bpm after for MN) and hypotensive (− 42±4 mm Hg before and − 6±1 mm Hg after for CN − 33±9 mm Hg before and − 5±2 mm Hg after for MN) responses were abolished in CN and MN groups. These data indicate that dietary protein malnutrition changes the relation between baroreflex and BJR required for maintenance of the BP during malnourishment.