TY - JOUR

T1 - Exercise training modulates functional sympatholysis and alpha-adrenergic vasoconstrictor responsiveness in hypertensive and normotensive individuals

AU - Mortensen, Stefan Peter

AU - Nyberg, Michael Permin

AU - Gliemann Hybholt, Lasse

AU - Thaning, Pia

AU - Saltin, Bengt

AU - Hellsten, Ylva

N1 - CURIS 2014 NEXS 154

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Essential hypertension is linked to an increased sympathetic vasoconstrictor activity and reduced tissue perfusion. We investigated the role of exercise training on functional sympatholysis and postjunctional α-adrenergic responsiveness in individuals with essential hypertension. Leg haemodynamics were measured before and after 8 weeks of aerobic training (3-4 times/week) in 8 hypertensive (47 ± 2 years) and 8 normotensive untrained individuals (46 ± 1 years) during arterial tyramine infusion, arterial ATP infusion and/or one-legged knee extensions. Before training, exercise hypaeremia and leg vascular conductance (LVC) were lower in the hypertensive individuals (P < 0.05) and tyramine lowered exercise hypaeremia and VC in both groups (P < 0.05). Training lowered blood pressure in the hypertensive individuals (P < 0.05) and exercise hypaeremia was similar to the normotensive individuals in the trained state. After training, tyramine did not reduce exercise hyperaemia or LVC in either group. When tyramine was infused at rest, the reduction in blood flow and LVC was similar between groups, but exercise training lowered the magnitude of the reduction in blood flow and LVC (P < 0.05). There was no difference in the vasodilatory response to infused ATP or in muscle P2Y2 receptor content between the groups before and after training. However, training lowered the vasodilatory response to ATP and increased skeletal muscle P2Y2 receptor content in both groups (P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that exercise training improves functional sympatholysis and reduces postjunctional α-adrenergic responsiveness in both normo- and hypertensive individuals. The ability for functional sympatholysis and the vasodilator and sympatholytic effect of intravascular ATP appears not to be altered in essential hypertension. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

AB - Essential hypertension is linked to an increased sympathetic vasoconstrictor activity and reduced tissue perfusion. We investigated the role of exercise training on functional sympatholysis and postjunctional α-adrenergic responsiveness in individuals with essential hypertension. Leg haemodynamics were measured before and after 8 weeks of aerobic training (3-4 times/week) in 8 hypertensive (47 ± 2 years) and 8 normotensive untrained individuals (46 ± 1 years) during arterial tyramine infusion, arterial ATP infusion and/or one-legged knee extensions. Before training, exercise hypaeremia and leg vascular conductance (LVC) were lower in the hypertensive individuals (P < 0.05) and tyramine lowered exercise hypaeremia and VC in both groups (P < 0.05). Training lowered blood pressure in the hypertensive individuals (P < 0.05) and exercise hypaeremia was similar to the normotensive individuals in the trained state. After training, tyramine did not reduce exercise hyperaemia or LVC in either group. When tyramine was infused at rest, the reduction in blood flow and LVC was similar between groups, but exercise training lowered the magnitude of the reduction in blood flow and LVC (P < 0.05). There was no difference in the vasodilatory response to infused ATP or in muscle P2Y2 receptor content between the groups before and after training. However, training lowered the vasodilatory response to ATP and increased skeletal muscle P2Y2 receptor content in both groups (P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that exercise training improves functional sympatholysis and reduces postjunctional α-adrenergic responsiveness in both normo- and hypertensive individuals. The ability for functional sympatholysis and the vasodilator and sympatholytic effect of intravascular ATP appears not to be altered in essential hypertension. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

U2 - 10.1113/jphysiol.2014.273722

DO - 10.1113/jphysiol.2014.273722

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24860173

VL - 592

SP - 3063

EP - 3073

JO - The Journal of Physiology

JF - The Journal of Physiology

SN - 0022-3751

IS - 14

ER -