Lipopolysaccharide-induced hypotension is mediated by a neural pathway involving the vagus nerve, the nucleus tractus solitarius and alpha-adrenergic receptors in the preoptic anterior hypothalamic area

We recently reported that the preoptic anterior hypothalamic area (POA) mediates the hypotensive response evoked by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In this study, we investigated how the inflammatory signal induced by LPS reaches the POA. Subdiaphragmatic vagotomy and abdominal perivagal lidocaine administration, or lidocaine injection into the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) prevented LPS hypotension. Microinjection of the alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonist phentolamine into the POA, blocked initiation of the hypotensive response and prevented the late decompensatory phase. These data suggest that LPS hypotension is mediated by the vagus nerve which conveys the signal to the NTS and, in turn, stimulates norepinephrine release within the POA.