Surgical Denervation Procedures in Rodents

All surgical interventions were performed under isoflurane by a SomnoSuite Low-Flow Anesthesia System for gas anesthesia (Kent Scientific, Torrington, CT, USA). Core body temperature was maintained at 37.0 ± 0.5 °C by a feedback-controlled heating pad (TCAT-2LV controller; Physitemp Instruments Inc., Clifton, NJ, USA). Unilateral sympathetic denervation was performed by means of right stellate ganglion destruction. The right stellate ganglion was accessed through the linear cutaneous incision along the anterior axillary line, followed by thermal coagulation of the ganglion and wound closure. The animals were recovered in thermostatic chamber. Denervation was verified by means of ptosis on the side of procedure. Sham-operation included incision and stellate ganglion exposure without destruction. Unilateral vagal denervation was performed by right-sided vagotomy at the level of C4-C5. Cervical portion of vagus nerve was identified within the neurovascular bundle lying medially to the right sternocleidomastoideus muscle after midline skin incision. Sham procedure included only vagus isolation from surrounding tissues. After manipulations on vagus nerve, the skin was sutured (Vicryl 4/0, Ethicon, Cincinnaty, OH, USA).