Cardiovascular excitatory effects of adenosine in the nucleus of the solitary tract.

Adenosine is an inhibitory neuromodulator in several brain regions. In the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), however, adenosine exerts excitatory cardiovascular effects. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the involvement of other endogenous mechanisms that could contribute to the final hemodynamic response to adenosine in this nucleus. In normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats, intra-NTS microinjection of adenosine (2.3 nmol/60 nl) decreased blood pressure and heart rate. These effects were blocked by prior administration of the specific adenosine receptor antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-8-p-sulfophenylxanthine (0.92 nmol) and by the two glutamate receptor antagonists kynurenic acid and glutamic diethylester. The specificity of the adenosine-glutamate interaction in the NTS was demonstrated with adrenergic and angiotensin receptor antagonists that did not affect the adenosine response and by experiments with glutamate receptor antagonists that did not affect nicotine actions in the NTS. Furthermore, an increase in glutamate levels was demonstrated during perfusion of adenosine through a microdialysis probe in the NTS of anesthetized rabbits. These findings indicate that adenosine increases the release of glutamate in the NTS and, thus, are at variance with the concept of a "universal" inhibitory effect of adenosine in the central nervous system.