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Serotonergic neurons in the nucleus raphe obscurus contribute to interaction between central and peripheral ventilatory responses to hypercapnia

  • Integrative Physiology
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Abstract

Serotonergic (5-HT) neurons in the nucleus raphe obscurus (ROb) are involved in the respiratory control network. However, it is not known whether ROb 5-HT neurons play a role in the functional interdependence between central and peripheral chemoreceptors. Therefore, we investigated the role of ROb 5-HT neurons in the ventilatory responses to CO2 and their putative involvement in the central–peripheral CO2 chemoreceptor interaction in unanaesthetised rats. We used a chemical lesion specific for 5-HT neurons (anti-SERT-SAP) of the ROb in animals with the carotid body (CB) intact or removed (CBR). Pulmonary ventilation (V E), body temperature and the arterial blood gases were measured before, during and after a hypercapnic challenge (7% CO2). The lesion of ROb 5-HT neurons alone (CB intact) or the lesion of 5-HT neurons of ROb+CBR did not affect baseline V E during normocapnic condition. Killing ROb 5-HT neurons (CB intact) significantly decreased the ventilatory response to hypercapnia (p < 0.05). The reduction in CO2 sensitivity was approximately 15%. When ROb 5-HT neurons lesion was combined with CBR (anti-SERT-SAP+CBR), the V E response to hypercapnia was further decreased (−31.2%) compared to the control group. The attenuation of CO2 sensitivity was approximately 30%, and it was more pronounced than the sum of the individual effects of central (ROb lesion; −12.3%) or peripheral (CBR; −5.5%) treatments. Our data indicate that ROb 5-HT neurons play an important role in the CO2 drive to breathing and may act as an important element in the central–peripheral chemoreception interaction to CO2 responsiveness.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) no. 07/51581-2. Glauber S.F. da Silva was supported by FAPESP no. 06/60696-5.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of São Paulo(USP/FMRP), Avenida dos Bandeirantes 3900, 14049–900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

    Glauber S. F. da Silva, Humberto Giusti, Maurício Benedetti & Mogens L. Glass

  2. Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil

    Mirela B. Dias

  3. Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, São Paulo State University—UNESP/FCAV at Jaboticabal, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil

    Luciane H. Gargaglioni

  4. Department of Morphology, Stomatology and Physiology, University of São Paulo—USP/FORP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

    Luiz Guilherme S. Branco

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  1. Glauber S. F. da Silva
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Correspondence to Glauber S. F. da Silva.

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da Silva, G.S.F., Giusti, H., Benedetti, M. et al. Serotonergic neurons in the nucleus raphe obscurus contribute to interaction between central and peripheral ventilatory responses to hypercapnia. Pflugers Arch - Eur J Physiol 462, 407–418 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-011-0990-x

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