The cutaneous circulation is one of the most variable and has the potential for very high levels of blood flow. Its control is important both to temperature regulation and to hemodynamics and blood pressure regulation generally. The mechanisms for that control in humans are gaining clarity. In the recent history of the laboratory, we have made several important findings. We have shown clearly that, in women, control of both the adrenergic vasoconstrictor and the nonadrenergic active vasodilator systems are subject to modification by reproductive hormone status such that body temperature and its control are shifted to higher levels when estrogen and progesterone are elevated. We also know that important control of the cutaneous circulation derives not only from thermoregulatory reflexes, but also from baroreceptor reflexes and the reflexes associated with dynamic exercise, i.e., nonthermoregulatory reflexes. Third, we found that the sympathetic vasoconstrictor control and the active vasodilator control of the cutaneous circulation each have both primary transmitters and co-transmitters involved in their vasomotor functions. We have strong evidence that NPY has an important co-transmitter role in the reflex vasoconstrictor responses to body cooling and that VIP has an important role as a cholinergic co-transmitter in the active vasodilator response to body warming. We propose to draw these elements of control together, by seeking to discover whether the cyclic variation in vasoconstrictor control during the menstrual cycle is via the sympathetic co-transmitter NPY; similarly, whether there is a hormonally associated shift in the role for the co-transmitter in the vasodilator system (VIP). We also seek to discover the roles for sympathetic co-transmitters in the influence of nonthermoregulatory reflexes on cutaneous vascular control, specifically, in response to the onset of exercise, in the inhibition of the increase in skin blood flow as exercise continues and when blood pressure is challenged by simulated hemorrhage. Lastly, we will test for a functional role for sympathetic transmitters other than norepinephrine and NPY I the vasoconstrictor control of the cutaneous circulation, with particular emphasis on a potential role for ATP. ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01HL059166-06
Application #
6774455
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-CCVS (01))
Program Officer
Velletri, Paul A
Project Start
1998-08-14
Project End
2008-03-31
Budget Start
2004-04-01
Budget End
2005-03-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$328,500
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio
Department
Physiology
Type
Other Domestic Higher Education
DUNS #
800772162
City
San Antonio
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
78229
Hodges, Gary J; Kellogg, Dean L; Johnson, John M (2015) Effect of skin temperature on cutaneous vasodilator response to the ?-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol. J Appl Physiol (1985) 118:898-903
Johnson, John M; Kellogg Jr, Dean L (2010) Thermoregulatory and thermal control in the human cutaneous circulation. Front Biosci (Schol Ed) 2:825-53
Johnson, John M; Kellogg Jr, Dean L (2010) Local thermal control of the human cutaneous circulation. J Appl Physiol 109:1229-38
Hodges, Gary J; Kosiba, Wojciech A; Zhao, Kun et al. (2009) The involvement of heating rate and vasoconstrictor nerves in the cutaneous vasodilator response to skin warming. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 296:H51-6
Hodges, Gary J; Chiu, Caroline; Kosiba, Wojciech A et al. (2009) The effect of microdialysis needle trauma on cutaneous vascular responses in humans. J Appl Physiol 106:1112-8
Hodges, Gary J; Johnson, John M (2009) Adrenergic control of the human cutaneous circulation. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 34:829-39
Hodges, Gary J; Kosiba, Wojciech A; Zhao, Kun et al. (2008) The involvement of norepinephrine, neuropeptide Y, and nitric oxide in the cutaneous vasodilator response to local heating in humans. J Appl Physiol 105:233-40
Gonzalez-Alonso, Jose; Crandall, Craig G; Johnson, John M (2008) The cardiovascular challenge of exercising in the heat. J Physiol 586:45-53
Aoki, Ken; Zhao, Kun; Yamazaki, Fumio et al. (2008) Exogenous melatonin administration modifies cutaneous vasoconstrictor response to whole body skin cooling in humans. J Pineal Res 44:141-8
Hodges, Gary J; Kosiba, Wojciech A; Zhao, Kun et al. (2007) The role of baseline in the cutaneous vasoconstrictor responses during combined local and whole body cooling in humans. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 293:H3187-92

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