Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0020440 (hypercapnia)
 7,939 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The carotid body contains both tachykinins and enkephalins. Neutral endopeptidase (NEP, E.C. 3.4.24.11), has been suggested to involve in the metabolism of these neuropeptides in several organs. In the present study we determined neutral endopeptidase activity of the cat carotid body and assessed its significance in chemoreception. The cytosolic and membrane fractions of the carotid body contained NEP-like activity whereas it occurred only in the membrane fractions of the superior cervical and the nodose ganglia. Phosphoramidon, thiorphan and metal ion chelators inhibited NEP-like activity of all the 3 tissues studied; other protease inhibitors, however, were ineffective. Close carotid body administration of phosphoramidon significantly potentiated the carotid body response to low PO2 but not to hypercapnia. The enhanced response to hypoxia following phosphoramidon was further augmented by naloxone, an enkephalin antagonist. These results demonstrate that the glomus tissue contains detectable amounts of NEP-like activity and its inhibition selectively affects the hypoxic response of the carotid body.
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PMID:Occurrence of neutral endopeptidase activity in the cat carotid body and its significance in chemoreception. 237 2

Respiratory activity and airway tone can be significantly affected by perturbations confined to superficial areas of the ventrolateral surface of the medulla (VMS). It is not clear which neuromediators are responsible for these changes. Neurotensin (NT), a tridecapeptide, fulfills many of the criteria required for a neurotransmitter or a neuromodulator. In this study, we determined whether NT applied topically to the intermediocaudal area of VMS could alter tracheal tone (Ptseg) and phrenic nerve activity (Ph) in alpha-chloralose-anesthetized cats hyperventilated with O2 to neural apnea. Also, the effects of NT on the responses of tracheal tone and phrenic nerve activity to steady-state hyperoxic hypercapnia (3% CO2 in O2) and isocapnic hypoxia (12% O2) were tested. Application of pledgets containing NT (10(-5)-10(-3) M) caused significant increases in Ptseg and Ph activity without significant changes in blood pressure. Both tracheal and phrenic responses to hypercapnia and hypoxia were also increased by an earlier application of NT. Application of lidocaine (2%) to the VMS rapidly reversed NT-induced responses and prevented them on reapplication of NT. Phosphoramidon, a neutral endopeptidase inhibitor, potentiated responses to NT, suggesting that a mechanism exists at the VMS that could reverse NT effects. Earlier topical administration of hexamethonium bromide to the VMS did not influence the effects of NT, indicating that NT was not acting by causing the release of acetylcholine. Intravenous administration of atropine (1 mg/kg) blocked tracheal but not phrenic responses to NT. These findings suggest that neurotensin may be a neuromodulator involved in central chemosensitivity and that it may participate in the regulation of phrenic activity and parasympathetic tone of airway smooth muscle.
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PMID:Tracheal and phrenic responses to neurotensin applied to ventral medulla. 314 81

1. The possible contribution of endogenous endothelin (ET) to the pathogenesis of seizure-associated pulmonary oedema was examined in mechanically ventilated rats after intravenous bolus injection of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) antagonist, bicuculline (1.2 mg kg-1). 2. Recurrent seizure activity elicited by bicuculline injection led to rapidly developing pulmonary oedema. Within 4 min after bicuculline application (1.2 mg kg-1), arterial O2 partial pressure (PaO2) significantly dropped from 17.49 +/- 1.20 kPa to 7.51 +/- 2.21 kPa (P < 0.01) and arterial CO2 partial pressure (PaCO2) significantly increased from 4.64 +/- 0.56 kPa to 8.15 +/- 0.99 kPa (P < 0.01). Gradually a progressive acidosis developed. Moreover, mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and end-inspiratory airway pressure (Paw) rapidly increased. 3. Concomitantly there was a time-dependent increase of big ET-1 and ET-1 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) as determined by combined reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (h.p.l.c.) and radioimmunoassay. BAL levels of both peptides increased up to 8 min after bicuculline injection and slowly decreased subsequently. In contrast, BAL from animals injected with vehicle did not contain detectable amounts of ET. 4. Pretreatment with the endothelin-converting enzyme inhibitor, phosphoramidon (5.4 mg kg-1, i.v.) for 5 min significantly (P < 0.001) reduced peak ET-1 levels in BAL fluid by 65.4 +/- 9.9% at 8 min after bicuculline injection. Simultaneously it afforded protection from hypoxia. PaCO2 did not increase and PaO2 decreased only slightly from 14.63 +/- 1.00 kPa to 12.97 +/- 0.61 kPa (P > 0.05) after phosphoramidon pretreatment. In contrast, vehicle-treated animals that received bicuculline showed both significant hypercapnia as well as profound hypoxia. Phosphoramidon significantly diminished the maximum increase in Paw by 76.7 +/- 12.4% (P <0.005), but only slightly affected the MABP. Phosphoramidon pretreatment had no effect on the acidosis.5. Pretreatment with the ETA receptor antagonist, BQ-123 (1 mg kg-1, i.v.), for 5 min did not affect the levels of ET-1 in the BAL fluid at 8 min after bicuculline injection but did ameliorate the development of hypoxia. No hypercapnia developed and Pa02 decreased only moderately from 16.65 +/-0.25 kPa to 14.19 +/-2.15 kPa (P>0.05) in BQ-123-treated animals. In contrast, vehicle-treated animals that received bicuculline exhibited significant hypercapnia as well as profound hypoxia. BQ-123 significantly reduced the increase in Paw by 51.3 +/- 12.8% (P < 0.01). It affected MABP only slightly and had no effect on the acidosis.6. These results suggest that ET peptides play a significant role in this model of neurogenic pulmonary oedema and may act as mediators of respiratory distress. The deleterious effects of endogenous ET in this model are primarily mediated via the ETA receptor, for they were inhibited by the ETA receptor antagonist, BQ-123. ETA receptor antagonists may therefore be of potential therapeutic value in respiratory distress.
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PMID:A role for endothelin in bicuculline-induced neurogenic pulmonary oedema in rats. 854 73