Abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is an important transmitter in the CNS playing a crucial role in the control and coordination of the activities of different functional systems including cardiovascular system. We were the first to raise the possibility that NO influences mechanisms of neuronal vasomotor control realized by the neurons within ventrolateral medulla in cats via activation of guanylate cyclase. In my Plenary Speech, I will analyse changes in the renal nerve sympathetic activity and shifts in haemodynamics induced by modulations of the intensity of NO production in the neurons of both dorsomedial and ventrolateral medulla involved in the cardiovascular control as well as the peculiarities of NO participation in the cardiovascular control in rats with genetically determined hypertension and experimental hyperglycemia. The role of an important regulatory enzyme arginase, competing for L-arginine for its metabolism, the role of syperoxides, and interrelations between medullary NO and GABA systems in hypertension will be analyzed. In recent years it became evident, that cellular dysfunctions induced by different factors converge on the mitochondria and initiate a sudden increase in the permeability of their inner membrane and mitochondrial permeability transition pores (mPTPs) opening. We were the first to show that mitochondrial permeability is essential for medullary cardiovascular control. I will discuss effects of changes in mitochondrial permeability transition in the medullary cardiovascular control in hypertension and experimental hyperglycemia, and protective effects of both the inhibitor of mPTP opening melatonin and a substrate for endogenous NO synthesis L-arginine against mPTP opening in the medullary cardiovascular neurons.

Brief Biography of the Speaker:
Lyudmila Shapoval is a leading scientific researcher and vice-head of the Circulation department of the Bogomolets Institiute of Physiology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. She has been a Doctor of Science (Biology) since 1993. In 1996, together with collaborators of the Circulation Department of the Bogomolets Institute of Physiology she was awarded State Prize of Ukraine in the field of science and technology for investigation titled ”Role of endothelium and biologically active substances of endothelial origin in the control of circulation and cardiac activity”. She is the secretary-general of the Ukrainian Physiological Society. The main scientific interests are focused on investigation of the mechanisms of medullary cardiovascular control by NO-synthesizing neurons and the role of changes in mitochondrial permeability transition in hypertension and diabetes mellitus.