{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]],"date-time":"2026-09-11T00:35:39Z","timestamp":1789086939239,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,19]],"date-time":"2023-10-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1697673600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Cardiovasc. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Acupuncture is increasingly used to manage high blood pressure (BP) as a complementary therapy. However, the mechanisms underlying its hypotensive effects remain unclear. Our previous studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) at the ST36-37 acupoints, overlying the deep peroneal nerve, attenuates pressor responses through adenosine A<jats:sub>2A<\/jats:sub> receptors (A<jats:sub>2A<\/jats:sub>R) in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (rVLM). However, it is uncertain whether rVLM A<jats:sub>2A<\/jats:sub>R contributes to EA's BP-lowering effect in sustained hypertension. We hypothesized that a course of EA treatment lowers BP, in part, through the activation of adenosine A<jats:sub>2A<\/jats:sub>R in the rVLM in hypertensive rats. To mimic essential hypertension in the clinic, we performed EA in conscious Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats (DSHRs). EA (0.1\u20130.4\u2005mA, 2\u2005Hz) was applied at ST36-37 for 30\u2005min twice weekly for four weeks, while sham-EA was conducted in a similar manner but without electrical input. In hypertensive rats, BP was reduced by EA (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200914) but neither by sham-EA (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200914) nor in the absence of needling (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20098). Following four weeks of eight treatments and then under anesthesia, EA's modulatory effect on elevated BP was reversed by unilateral rVLM microinjection of SCH 58261 (1\u2005mM in 50\u2005nl; an A<jats:sub>2A<\/jats:sub>R antagonist; <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20097; <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.05) but not the vehicle (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20095) in EA-treated DSHRs. Activation of rVLM A<jats:sub>2A<\/jats:sub>R in DSHRs treated with sham-EA by an A<jats:sub>2A<\/jats:sub>R agonist, CGS-21680 (0.4\u2005mM in 50\u2005nl; <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20098), decreased BP. Unilateral administration of SCH 58261 or CGS-21680 into the rVLM did not alter basal BP in Dahl salt-sensitive rats fed a regular diet with normal BP. The A<jats:sub>2A<\/jats:sub>R level in the rVLM after EA was increased compared to the sham-EA and untreated DSHRs (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20095 in each group; all <jats:italic>P\u2009<\/jats:italic>&amp;lt;\u20090.05). These data suggest that a 4-week twice weekly EA treatment reduced BP in salt-sensitive hypertensive rats likely through adenosine-mediated A<jats:sub>2A<\/jats:sub>R in the rVLM.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fcvm.2023.1275952","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,21]],"date-time":"2023-10-21T23:40:06Z","timestamp":1697931606000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Adenosine A2A receptors in the rostral ventrolateral medulla participate in blood pressure decrease with electroacupuncture in hypertensive rats"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Zhi-Ling","family":"Guo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stephanie C.","family":"Tjen-A-Looi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anh 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