Prolonged exposure of cardiac cells to renin plus angiotensinogen reduces intracellular renin in the failing heart. On the role of angiotensin II-AT1 complex internalization

Decreased angiotensin receptor 1 expression in ± AT1 Knockout mice testis results in male infertility and GnRH reduction

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to detect the effect of angiotensin receptor 1 (AT1) knock out (KO) on spermatogenesis and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis hormone expression.

METHODS

Normal C57BL/6 male mice were used as control group or treated with angiotensin receptor blocker, in addition heterozygous ± AT1KO mice were generated. After caged at a ratio of 2 to 1 with females, pregnancy rates of female mice were determined by detection of vaginal plugs. Deformity rate of spermatozoa was evaluated by eosin staining and morphology evaluation. The AT1 mRNA expression in the testes of male ± AT1KO mice was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR). Serum GnRH level was determined by ELISA.

RESULTS

Compared to control, ± AT1KO mice showed reduced expression of AT1 in testes, pituitary and hypothalamus. In addition, decreased level of GnRH, but not follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) or luteinizing hormone (LH), in ± AT1KO mice was detected. Treatment with angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) did not have significant effects on HPG hormones. ± AT1KO mice exhibited male infertility and significant abnormality of sperm morphology.

CONCLUSION

Reduced AT1 knockout resulted in male infertility, potentially by inducing abnormal spermatogenesis. Both testis and HPG axis signaling may be involved.

Intracrine action of angiotensin II in the intact ventricle of the failing heart: angiotensin II changes cardiac excitability from within

The influence of intracellular injection of angiotensin II (Ang II) on electrical properties of single right ventricular fibers from the failing heart of cardiomyopathic hamsters (TO2) was investigated in the intact ventricle of 8-month-old animals. Intracellular injection was performed using pressure pulses (40-70 psi) for short periods of time (20 ms) while recoding the action potential simultaneously from the same fiber. The results indicated that intracellular Ang II caused a hyperpolarization of 7.7 mV ± 4.3 mV (n = 39) (4 animals) (P < 0.05) followed by a small fall in membrane potential. The action potential duration was significantly increased at 50% and at 90% repolarization, and the refractoriness was significantly enhanced. The effect of intracellular Ang II on action potential duration was related to the inhibition of potassium conductance through PKC activation because Bis-1 (360 nM), a selective PKC inhibitor, abolished the effect of the peptide. Injections performed in different fibers of the same ventricle showed a variable effect of Ang II on action potential duration and generated spontaneous rhythmicity. The effect of intracellular Ang II on action potential duration and cardiac refractoriness remains for more than 1 h after interruption of the intracellular injection of the peptide.