Elevated blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature in mice lacking the XLαs protein of the Gnas locus is due to increased sympathetic tone.

ABSTRACT: Imbalances of energy homeostasis are often associated with cardiovascular complications. Previous work has shown that Gnasxl-deficient mice have a lean and hypermetabolic phenotype, with increased sympathetic stimulation of adipose tissue. The Gnasxl transcript from the imprinted Gnas locus encodes the trimeric G-protein subunit XLαs, which is expressed in brain regions that regulate energy homeostasis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity. To determine whether Gnasxl knock-out (KO) mice display additional SNS-related phenotypes, we have now investigated the cardiovascular system. The Gnasxl KO mice were ∼20 mmHg hypertensive in comparison to wild-type (WT) littermates (P ≤ 0.05) and hypersensitive to the sympatholytic drug reserpine. Using telemetry, we detected an increased wakin

SUBMITTER: Nunn N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4223506 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature