Specific inhibition of receptors for angiotensin II and angiotensin III in adrenal glomerulosa

Regulatory role of brain angiotensins in the control of physiological and behavioral responses

Considerable evidence now indicates that a separate and distinct renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is present within the brain. The necessary precursors and enzymes required for the formation and degradation of the biologically active forms of angiotensins have been identified in brain tissues as have angiotensin binding sites. Although this brain RAS appears to be regulated independently from the peripheral RAS, circulating angiotensins do exert a portion of their actions via stimulation of brain angiotensin receptors located in circumventricular organs. These circumventricular organs are located in the proximity of brain ventricles, are richly vascularized and possess a reduced blood-brain barrier thus permitting accessibility by peptides. In this way the brain RAS interacts with other neurotransmitter and neuromodulator systems and contributes to the regulation of blood pressure, body fluid homeostasis, cyclicity of reproductive hormones and sexual behavior, and perhaps plays a role in other functions such as memory acquisition and recall, sensory acuity including pain perception and exploratory behavior. An overactive brain RAS has been identified as one of the factors contributing to the pathogenesis and maintenance of hypertension in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model of human essential hypertension. Oral treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, which interfere with the formation of angiotensin II, prevents the development of hypertension in young SHR by acting, at least in part, upon the brain RAS. Delivery of converting enzyme inhibitors or specific angiotensin receptor antagonists into the brain significantly reduces blood pressure in adult SHR. Thus, if the SHR is an appropriate model of human essential hypertension (there is controversy concerning its usefulness), the potential contribution of the brain RAS to this dysfunction must be considered during the development of future antihypertensive compounds.

Indomethacin inhibits the basal and angiotensin II-stimulated mitotic activity of adrenocortical cells in vivo and in organ culture

The aim of the experiment in vivo was to examine the effect of a 3-day peroral administration of indomethacin (IND: 4.0-4.7 mg/kg b.wt./24 h) on the adrenocortical cell proliferation in rats in basal conditions and after a single i.p. injection of angiotensin II (ANG: 100 micrograms per rat). The in vitro study was to test the effect of IND on the mitotic incidence in adrenocortical cells or organ-cultured rat adrenal explants during a 24-h incubation with or without ANG. It was shown that IND significantly decreased the mean mitotic activity rate (MMAR) of adrenocortical cells in vivo as well as in organ culture. That decrease concerned all the three cortical zones vs respective controls. In turn, both in vivo and in vitro ANG markedly increased the MMAR of the zona glomerulosa cells as compared to the values recorded in controls, while there were no changes of the MMAR of the zona glomerulosa after ANG in the groups receiving IND. The results obtained indicate that IND exhibits an inhibitory effect on the adrenocortical cell proliferation which may suggest that prostaglandins (PGs) play an important role in the process of adrenocortical hyperplasia, their participation in the ANG-induced zona glomerulosa cell proliferation being strongly assumed.

Prostaglandins do not mediate the inhibitory effects of angiotensins II and III on autonomic neurotransmission in the rabbit vas deferens

The role of prostaglandins in mediating angiotensin effects on autonomic neurotransmission was assessed. This was accomplished by examining the angiotensin-induced production of prostaglandins (PGE) and suppression of non-adrenergic (purinergic) neurotransmission in the presence and absence of cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors. The vas deferens of the rabbit was utilized for these studies because this preparation has a predominant non-adrenergic neurogenic component. Both angiotensins II and III enhanced PGE production and reduced non-adrenergic neurogenic contractions in a concentration-dependent manner from 1 to 1000 nM. Furthermore, indomethacin (2.8 microM) and eicosatetraynoic acid (10 microM) eliminated the inhibitory effect of the angiotensins on non-adrenergic neurotransmission. However, acetylsalicylic acid (10 microM) prevented the production of PGE in response to the angiotensins but failed to alter the suppression of non-adrenergic neurotransmission. The latter data are inconsistent with the hypothesis that PG's mediate angiotensin-induced depression of non-adrenergic neurotransmission. The mechanism by which indomethacin and eicosatetraynoic acid prevent angiotensin effects on non-adrenergic neurotransmission was not elucidated but previous reports suggest that these agents may act as angiotensin receptor antagonists. All of the cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors examined tended to potentiate angiotensin effects on adrenergic neurotransmission.

Effects of angiotensin, prostaglandin E2 and indomethacin on the early and late steps of aldosterone biosynthesis in isolated adrenal cells

The involvement of prostaglandins in the regulation of aldosterone biosynthesis was investigated in isolated adrenal glomerulosa cells. Cells were treated with cyanoketone to inhibit the 3 beta-hydroxy-steroid dehydrogenase and isolate the early step of aldosterone synthesis and the late step. Angiotensin II and PGE2 stimulated the synthesis of aldosterone in a concentration-related manner. The stimulation by both compounds was inhibited by indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor. Indomethacin also inhibited arachidonic acid-stimulation of 6-keto PGF1 alpha synthesis, whereas cyanoketone was without effect. Both angiotensin II and PGE2 stimulated the synthesis of pregnenolone (the early step) in a concentration-related manner. At higher concentrations, angiotensin II also stimulated the conversion of [3H]corticosterone to [3H]aldosterone (the late step). PGE2 did not alter the late step significantly. Indomethacin had no effect on either biosynthetic step when added alone. However, it inhibited the angiotensin- and PGE2-stimulated pregnenolone synthesis by 41 and 59%, respectively (P less than 0.05). Indomethacin did not alter angiotensin stimulation of the conversion of corticosterone to aldosterone. These findings indicate that PGE2 increases the synthesis of aldosterone by stimulating the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone. Indomethacin inhibits angiotensin II- and PGE2-induced steroidogenesis at the same early biosynthetic step. These findings suggest that indomethacin may act by a mechanism other than a reduction in the concentration of prostaglandins.

Characterization of angiotensin binding in the African green monkey

The observation that there are differences in the characteristics and distribution of angiotensin receptors in the central nervous system of mammalian species led to the analysis of angiotensin binding in a primate model, the African Green monkey. Initial studies using [125I]angiotensin II ([125I]AII) as the radioligand showed binding in peripheral tissues but little binding in the central nervous system. Conversely, binding studies using [125I]AIII as the radioligand indicated more central nervous binding with diminished peripheral binding. Specific binding of [125I]AIII is evident throughout the brain with high binding in the circumventricular organs, striatum, caudate nucleus, olfactory bulb and localized areas of the thalamus and cerebral cortex. This binding was found to possess many of the properties commonly associated with binding to membrane-bound receptors. The specifically bound radioligand extracted from incubations of [125I]AIII and central nervous tissue appears to be a product of the metabolism of [125I]AIII rather than the peptide itself. Binding of [125I]AII does occur in peripheral tissues and to a limited extent in the cerebellum, but to a different receptor from that characterized using [125I]AIII. These results are similar to those seen in the gerbil and raise questions concerning the utilization of the rat as the primary model for studying the biochemistry of the brain-angiotensin system in humans.

Characterization of angiotensin binding to gerbil brain membranes using [125I]angiotensin III as the radioligand

The observation that an Angiotensin II (AII)-sensitive species, the gerbil, exhibited little or no [125I]AII binding to brain membranes led to the hypothesis that AII's central action may be mediated by smaller and/or modified fragments of AII. This possibility was assessed, in part, by examining the ability of gerbil brain membranes to specifically bind [125I]desAsp1 AII (AIII), a heptapeptide fragment of AII. Specific binding was evident throughout the gerbil brain with highest binding in the septum (containing the subfornical organ), anterior ventral third ventricular region, hypothalamus (containing the median eminence), and striatum. This binding was found to possess many of the properties commonly associated with binding to membrane bound receptors. The binding within the circumventricular organs had characteristics that set them apart from the other central nervous tissues examined. Both the olfactory bulb and adrenal gland appeared to have two different angiotensin binding sites. It appears that the binding sites within the brain interact with a product of the metabolism of AIII or AII rather than the peptides themselves. The results suggest that [125I]AIII appears to be a better ligand than [125I]AII in the binding assay because it is more readily degraded to another substance.

Temperature-dependent negative cooperativity among angiotensin II receptors of isolated rat glomeruli

The binding characteristics of angiotensin II to isolated rat glomeruli were studied at various temperatures from 15 to 37 degrees C using 125I-labeled angiotensin II. The remarkable features of the binding at 37 degrees C, compared with those at lower temperatures, were (1) decreased maximal binding due to increased dissociation rate, (2) short duration of the steady state, which was, however, sufficient for performing steady-state binding assays, and (3) marked curvilinear Scatchard plots with upward concavity. The difference between the dissociation rates caused by dilution only and by dilution plus cold angiotensin II increased with increase in temperature. From these results, we conclude that the site-site interactions of a negatively cooperative type, which are negligible at lower temperatures, exist among rat glomerular angiotensin II receptors at the physiological temperature, and that the binding study may as well be performed at 37 degrees C for the purpose of investigating quantitative correlation between the hormone binding and its biological effect.

Angiotensin II receptors on human platelets

The investigation of the interaction between angiotensin II and its receptors in human subjects has been hampered by the inaccessibility of human tissue containing angiotensin II receptors. In order to find a more accessible angiotensin II-binding tissue, we studied angiotensin II binding to platelets in normal human volunteers. Platelet preparations purified on Ficoll: Isopaque gradients were incubated with 125I-angiotensin II (30 pm), with and without unlabeled angiotensin at 22 degrees C, separating bound from free hormone by microcentrifugation. Binding was linearly related to the number of platelets incubated, and, at 8 X 10(5) cells/microliters, specific binding ranged from 0.8 to 10%. Scatchard analysis indicated a binding site with a Kd of 2.4 +/- 0.3 X 10(-10) m which agreed well with the Kd by displacement analysis (3.1 X 10(-10) m). The relative binding potencies for angiotensin II and analogues were: angiotensin II = des-Asp1 an angiotensin II greater than [Sar1, Ala8] angiotensin II greater than des-Asp1-[Ile8] angiotensin II greater than angiotensin I. The effect of high and low sodium (Na) intake (200 vs. 10 mEq/day) on platelet angiotensin II binding was studied in nine subjects. Compared to low Na, high Na intake produced an 80% increase in the angiotensin II-binding capacity (P less than 0.01) with no significant change in binding affinity. We conclude that human platelets possess angiotensin receptors whose binding characteristics and modulation by dietary sodium resemble the properties of the receptors on "classical" animal angiotensin target tissues. The platelet may provide an accessible source of angiotensin receptors for a detailed study of angiotensin-receptor interaction in human tissue.

Steroids as potential modulators of angiotensin receptors in bovine adrenal glomerulosa and kidney

To test the hypothesis that there is feedback inhibition of adrenal angiotensin receptors by substances released in response to the peptides, we measured binding of labeled angiotensins in the presence of various steroids. Approximately half of the 70 steroids tested inhibited binding of labeled angiotensin II and III to intact and broken cells from bovine adrenal glomerulosa and kidney, but the concentrations required for inhibition were relatively high. The most potent inhibitors were 3 alpha, 5 beta tetrahydroaldosterone and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (ID50 = 8 x 10-5 M). Kinetic analysis showed that inhibition was mostly competitive. among steroids whose reduced congeners were tested, potency increased in the sequence: parent steroid less than 5 alpha dihydroderivative less than 5 beta dihydro derivative less than 3 alpha, 5 beta tetrahydro-derivative. Tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone inhibited aldosteronogenesis by intact cells at concentrations that inhibited angiotensin binding. Steroids differentially inhibited binding of labeled angiotensins in II and III, and discriminated between receptors in adrenal glomerulosa and kidney. The results provide additional evidence for heterogeneity of angiotensin receptors, and lead to the prediction that any normal or pathological inhibition of angiotensin receptors by steroids will be mediated by reduced derivatives.

Angiotensin receptors in bovine umbilical artery and their inhibition by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

1 The contractile effect of angiotensin II on bovine isolated umbilical arteries was compared to [125I]-angiotensin II binding by a subcellular fraction of that tissue. The ED50 of angiotensin was 3.1 +/- 2.8 x 10(-8) M, while the apparent dissociation constant was 4.9 +/- 1.6 x 10(-9) M. 2 Indomethacin, meclofenamate, and eicosatetraynoic acid inhibited angiotensin-induced contraction of the isolated artery and binding to a particulate fraction at comparable doses. Phenylbutazone inhibited [125I]-angiotensin binding more potently than the response. Inhibition by the first three agents was noncompetitive, whereas phenylbutazone inhibited competitively. 3 Inhibition of angiotensin activity by the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents was not specific. These agents also inhibited 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced contraction, but not the contraction induced by KCl. 4 The data suggest that the angiotensin binding sites studied include receptors that mediate contraction of the isolated umbilical artery. Our data also indicate that indomethacin, meclofenamate, eicosatetraynoic acid and phenylbutazone are capable of direct inhibitory effects on receptors, as well as their well-known synthetase actions. The net effect of these activities will determine the change these agents cause in tissue responses to hormones.