Abstract
Chemerin is an adipokine involved in regulating energy homeostasis and reproductive function. Excessive sympathetic activity contributes to hypertension, chronic heart failure and chronic renal disease. Hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is crucial in regulating sympathetic activity and blood pressure. The present study is designed to investigate the roles of chemerin in the PVN in regulating sympathetic activity and blood pressure and underlying mechanisms. Microinjections were performed in the bilateral PVN in male adult rats under anesthesia. Renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were continuously recorded. The PVN microinjection of chemerin-9, an active fragment of chemerin, increased RSNA and MAP, which were abolished by chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1) antagonist α-NETA, a superoxide scavenger tempol, antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC), NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI) and apocynin. Immunofluorescence analyses showed that N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors existed in most of cells of the PVN, and some of them co-existed with chemerin. The effects of chemerin-9 on RSNA and MAP were prevented by glutamate-binding site antagonist L-phenylalanine, NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801, and calcium channel blocker verapamil or nifedipine, but only attenuated by non-NMDA receptor antagonist CNQX. Moreover, chemerin-9 increased NADPH oxidase activity and superoxide production, which were prevented by α-NETA, MK-801, or verapamil. These results indicate that chemerin-9 in the PVN increases sympathetic activity and blood pressure via CMKLR1-dependent calcium influx, and glutamate receptor-mediated NADPH oxidase activation and subsequent superoxide production.