Effect of transection of cervical sympathetic trunk on catecholamine level in rat withpregnancy-induced hypertension

Objective: To observe the effect of the transection of cervical sympathetic trunk(TCST) on the levels of catecholamine including dopamine,norepinephrine,and epinephrine in rats with pregnancy-induced hypertension(PIH).Methods: Pregnant Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control group(group A),PIH group 1(group B1),PIH group 2(group B2),surgery group(group C),and sham-surgery group(group D).Saline,Ng-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester(L-NAME) of 12.5 mg/(100 g·d),and L-NAME of 6.25 mg/(100 g·d) were injected subcutaneously from day 14 to 20 of gestation in group A,group B1,and group B2,respectively.On day 14 of gestation,right TCST was performed in group C,and the cervical sympathetic truck was isolated but not transected in group D.Results: The blood pressure(except on day 13 and 14 of gestation) and urine protein(except on day 13 of gestation) in group B1 and group B2 were much higher than those in group A (P0.01),and in group B1 they were much higher than those in group B2(P0.01).The plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine levels in group B1 and group B2 were much higher than those in group A(P0.01,P0.05),and in group B1 they were much higher than those in group C(P0.01,P0.05).The plasma norepinephrine level in group B1 was much higher than that in group B2(P0.05).No marked change of dopamine level was found.Conclusion: TCST could prevent PIH in rats and may be associated with the maintenance of catecholamine level.