Basic research for exploitation of novel central antihypertensive drugs focusing on regulation of responses to stress

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26460909
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General internal medicine(including psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: SHIMIZU Takahiro 高知大学, 教育研究部医療学系基礎医学部門, 准教授 (00363276)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 脳内大麻 / エンドカンナビノイド / CB受容体 / 自然発症高血圧ラット / 高血圧症 / 交感神経-副腎髄質系 / 脳内麻薬 / オピオイド受容体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The sympatho-adrenomedullary (SA) system is an important component of responses to stress, and it has recognized that excessive activation of this system plays a pathogenic role in triggering and sustaining the essential hypertension. We have already reported an inhibitory role of brain endocannabinoid (eCB) in stress-related neuropeptides-induced activation of the SA outflow via brain CB1 receptors. In this study, we clarified that (1) stimulation of brain CB1 receptors improved excessive hypertension and activation of the outflow in spontaneously hypertensive rats without affecting these factors in normotensive control rats, and that (2) brain opioid receptors, which can interact with CB1 receptors, modulate these peptides-induced activation of the SA outflow. These findings suggest that brain CB1 and opioid receptors might be useful targets for alleviation of essential hypertension via inhibition of stress responses including the SA outflow.

Free Research Field

中枢神経薬理学