Restoration of arterial blood oxygen tension increases arterial pressure in sinoaortic-denervated rats

The objective of the present study was to analyze whether the hypoxemia produced by chemoreceptor elimination influences the arterial pressure level after sinoaortic denervation (SAD) in rats. Hypoxemia and hypercapnia were observed in acute (1 day) and chronic (20 days) SAD rats [arterial PO2 (PaO2) = 65 +2- 1.6 and 71 +2- 2.2 mmHg and arterial PCO2 (PaCO2) = 46 +/- 1.3 and 37 +/- 1.8 mmHg, respectively] compared with control rats (PaO2 = 85 +/- 1.6 mmHg, PaCO2 = 31 +/- 1.07 mmHg). Increasing inspired PO2 (PIO2) from 138 mmHg (room air) to 155 mmHg restored the PaO2 of SAD rats to control levels (acute = 81 +/- 2.21 mmHg, chronic = 85 +/- 2.35 mmHg). PaO2. restoration produced pronounced elevation of mean arterial pressure (MAP) of acute (from 121 +/- 4 to 147 +/- 3.5 mmHg) and chronic (from 121 +/- 3 to 134 +/- 3.5 mmHg) SAD rats. Progressive stepwise increase of PIO2 (from 138 to 175, 210, and 235 mmHg) produced no additional elevation of MAP of acute (113 +/- 4, 137 +/- 5, 143 +/- 5, and 147 +/- 5 mmHg) and chronic (111 +/- 3.6, 131 +/- 7.4, 130 +/- 8.7, and 130 +/- 7 mmHg) SAD rats. Otherwise, the arterial pressure of control rats remained unchanged to progressive stepwise increase of PIO2 (118 +/- 5, 117 +/- 4, 118 +/- 4, 116 +/- 4 mmHg). These data suggest that the elimination of chemoreceptors in SAD rats produces hypoxemia responsible for hypotensive influences that counteract the pressor effects produced by baroreceptor elimination.