Title

Purinergic glio-endothelial coupling during neuronal activity: role of P2Y1 receptors and eNOS in functional hyperemia...

School/Department

School of Science Technology and Health

Publication Date

12-2015

Abstract

Impairment of moment-tomoment adjustment of cerebral blood flow (CBF) via neurovascular coupling is thought to play a critical role in the genesis of cognitive impairment associated with aging and pathological conditions associated with accelerated cerebromicrovascular aging (e.g., hypertension, obesity). Although previous studies demonstrate that endothelial dysfunction plays a critical role in neurovascular uncoupling in these conditions, the role of endothelial NO mediation in neurovascular coupling responses is not well understood. To establish the link between endothelial function and functional hyperemia, neurovascular coupling responses were studied in mutant mice overexpressing or deficient in endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), and the role of P2Y1 receptors in purinergic glioendothelial coupling was assessed. We found that genetic depletion of eNOS (eNOS-/-) and pharmacological inhibition of NO synthesis significantly decreased the CBF responses in the somatosensory cortex evoked by whisker stimulation and by administration of ATP. Overexpression of eNOS enhanced NO mediation of functional hyperemia. In control mice, the selective and potent P2Y1 receptor antagonist MRS2179 attenuated both whisker stimulation-induced and ATP-mediated CBF responses, whereas, in eNOS-/- mice, the inhibitory effects of MRS2179 were blunted. Collectively, our findings provide additional evidence for purinergic glio-endothelial coupling during neuronal activity, highlighting the role of ATP-mediated activation of eNOS via P2Y1 receptors in functional hyperemia.

Keywords

Cerebral circulation; Hyperemia

Publication Title

American Journal of Physiology: Heart & Circulatory Physiology

Volume

309

Issue

11

First Page

H1837

Last Page

H1845

DOI of Published Version

10.1152/ajpheart.00463.2015.

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS