Figure 5. eNOS blockade in the NTS using in vivo gene transfer prevents the attenuating action of ANGII and l-arginine on baroreceptor reflex function.

A, WHBPs were prepared 5-6 days following NTS infection with adenovirus expressing TeNOS. In these preparations, bilateral NTS microinjections of either ANGII or the NO precursor l-arginine (l-Arg) failed to affect the baroreceptor reflex. Note that baseline cardiorespiratory variables including the respiratory sinus arrhythmia were not different from those of naive animals (see Table 1). B, representative transverse sections through the medulla indicating both the extent of transfection within the NTS as indicated by enhanced green fluorescent protein (hatched shading) and the microinjection sites of ANGII and l-arginine. Data are from a single preparation. Numbers refer to the distance from bregma. Abbreviations: AP, area postrema; DVN, dorsal vagal motor nucleus; NTS, nucleus of the solitary tract; TS, solitary tract.