Characterization of glucocorticoid response element of rat angiotensin II type 1A receptor gene

Influence of Social Isolation Stress on Age-Related Changes in Functional Activity and Expression of Receptors of Endogenous Vasoconstrictors in Rat Aorta

Social isolation stress was modeled by long-term isolation of 12-month-old rats in individual cages over 28 weeks. It was found that sensitization of blood vessels to the vasoconstrictor action of serotonin due to overexpression of 5HT2A-type receptor genes, as well as an imbalance in the expression level of endothelin ETA- and ETB-receptors (55 and 153%, respectively) are the early signs of vascular aging. A significant contribution to the development of age-related changes in the contractile properties of blood vessels is made by the stress component, which is manifested at the level of glucocorticoid-dependent mechanisms of regulation of gene expression. The decrease in the expression of glucocorticoid receptors caused by isolation stress leads to a decrease in the expression of the genes responsible for the synthesis of V1A-R and ATII-R and to the development of vascular hyporeactivity to the vasoconstrictor action of ATII and AVP. In the aorta of stressed rats, the α1-AR mRNA level increases by 3 times. At the same time, stress did not affect the dynamics of age-related changes in the expression of genes encoding 5HT2A-R and ETA/ETB-R.

Regulation of angiotensin II type 2 receptor gene expression in the adrenal medulla by acute and repeated immobilization stress

While the renin-angiotensin system is important for adrenomedullary responses to stress, the involvement of specific angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor subtypes is unclear. We examined gene expression changes of angiotensin II type 1A (AT(1A)) and type 2 (AT(2)) receptors in rat adrenal medulla in response to immobilization stress (IMO). AT(2) receptor mRNA levels decreased immediately after a single 2-h IMO. Repeated IMO also decreased AT(2) receptor mRNA levels, but the decline was more transient. AT(1A) receptor mRNA levels were unaltered with either single or repeated IMO, although binding was increased following repeated IMO. These effects of stress on Ang II receptor expression may alter catecholamine biosynthesis, as tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine β-hydroxylase mRNA levels in PC12 cells are decreased with Ang II treatment in the presence of ZD7155 (AT(1) receptor antagonist) or with CGP42112 (AT(2) receptor agonist) treatment. Involvement of stress-triggered activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical or sympathoadrenal axis in AT(2) receptor downregulation was examined. Cultured cells treated with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone displayed a transcriptionally mediated decrease in AT(2) receptor mRNA levels. However, glucocorticoids are not required for the immediate stress-triggered decrease in AT(2) receptor gene expression, as demonstrated in corticotropin-releasing hormone knockout (Crh KO) mice and hypophysectomized rats, although they can regulate basal gene expression. cAMP and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide also reduced AT(2) receptor gene expression and may mediate this response. Overall, the effects of stress on adrenomedullary AT(1A) and AT(2) receptor expression may contribute to allostatic changes, such as regulation of catecholamine biosynthesis.

Early gestation dexamethasone programs enhanced postnatal ovine coronary artery vascular reactivity

Excessive exposure of the fetus to maternally derived corticosteroids has been linked to the development of adult-onset diseases. To determine if early gestation corticosteroid exposure alters subsequent coronary artery reactivity, we administered dexamethasone (0.28 mg.kg(-1).day(-1)) to pregnant ewes at 27-28 days gestation (term being 145 days). Vascular responsiveness was assessed in endothelium-intact coronary and mesenteric arteries isolated from steroid-exposed and age-matched control fetal sheep at 123-126 days gestation and lambs at 4 mo of age. Lambs exposed to maternal dexamethasone had higher mean arterial blood pressures than the age-matched controls (93 +/- 3 vs. 83 +/- 5 mmHg, P < 0.05). Mesenteric arteries from the steroid-exposed fetuses displayed diminished responses to ANG II, relative to controls. In 4-mo-old lambs, prenatal dexamethasone exposure significantly increased coronary artery vasoconstriction to ANG II, ACh, and U-46619, but not KCl. In contrast, postnatal mesenteric artery reactivity was unaltered by steroid exposure. Compared with fetal mesenteric reactivity, postnatal mesenteric reactivity to ANG II, phenylephrine, and U-46619 was diminished, whereas the response to 120 mmol/l KCl was heightened. Coronary artery ANG II receptor protein expression was not significantly altered by steroid exposure in either age group. These findings demonstrate that early-gestation glucocorticoid exposure programs postnatal elevations in blood pressure and selectively enhances coronary artery responsiveness to second messenger-dependent vasoconstrictors. Glucocorticoid-induced alterations in coronary vascular smooth muscle structure or function may provide a mechanistic link between an adverse intrauterine environment and later cardiovascular disease.

Late-gestation betamethasone enhances coronary artery responsiveness to angiotensin II in fetal sheep

Antenatal glucocorticoids are used to promote the maturation of fetuses at risk for preterm delivery. While perinatal glucocorticoid exposure has clear immediate benefits to cardiorespiratory function, there is emerging evidence of adverse long-term effects. To determine if antenatal betamethasone alters vascular reactivity, we examined isometric contraction of endothelium-intact coronary and mesenteric arteries isolated from twin fetal sheep at 121-124 days gestation (term being 145 days). One twin received betamethasone (10 μg/h iv) while the second twin received vehicle (0.9% NaCl) for 48 h immediately before the final physiological measurements and tissue harvesting. Fetuses that received betamethasone had higher mean arterial blood pressures than the saline-treated twin controls (53 ± 1 vs. 48 ± 1 mmHg, P < 0.05). Coronary vessels from betamethasone-treated fetuses exhibited enhanced peak responses to ANG II (72 ± 17 vs. 23 ± 6% of the maximal response to 120 mM KCl, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in response of the coronary arteries to other vasoactive compounds [KCl, U-46619, sodium nitroprusside, 8-bromo-cGMP (8-BrcGMP), isoproterenol, and forskolin]. Contractile responses to ANG II were similar in betamethasone and control mesenteric arteries (48 ± 17 vs. 36 ± 12% of the maximal response to 10-6 M U-46619). Western blot analysis revealed AT1 receptor protein expression was increased by betamethasone in coronary but not in mesenteric arteries. These findings demonstrate that antenatal betamethasone exposure enhances coronary but not mesenteric artery vasoconstriction to ANG II by selectively upregulating coronary artery AT1 receptor protein expression.

General overview of mineralocorticoid hormone action

The adrenal cortex elaborates two major groups of steroids that have been arbitrarily classified as glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, despite the fact that carbohydrate metabolism is intimately linked to mineral balance in mammals. In fact, glucocorticoids assured both of these functions in all living cells, animal and photosynthetic, prior to the appearance of aldosterone in teleosts at the dawn of terrestrial colonization. The evolutionary drive for a hormone specifically designed for hydromineral regulation led to zonation for the conversion of 18-hydroxycorticosterone into aldosterone through the catalytic action of a synthase in the secluded compartment of the adrenal zona glomerulosa. Corticoid hormones exert their physiological action by binding to receptors that belong to a transcription factor superfamily, which also includes some of the proteins regulating steroid synthesis. Steroids stimulate sodium absorption by the activation and/or de novo synthesis of the ion-gated, amiloride-sensitive sodium channel in the apical membrane and that of the Na+/K+-ATPase in the basolateral membrane. Receptors, channels, and pumps apparently are linked to the cytoskeleton and are further regulated variously by methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquination, and glycosylation, suggesting a complex system of control at multiple checkpoints. Mutations in genes for many of these different proteins have been described and are known to cause clinical disease.

Characterization of a functional AT1A angiotensin receptor in pancreatoma AR4-2J cells

Functional angiotensin receptors were characterized in the rat pancreatic acinar cell line AR4-2J. Angiotensin II stimulated a dose-dependent release of amylase and production of inositol phosphates. Results of high-performance liquid chromatography separation of inositol phosphates indicated that angiotensin stimulated the rapid accumulation of inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate. Angiotensin II and angiotensin III were at least an order of magnitude more potent than angiotensin I in the stimulation of amylase release. The angiotensin II-stimulated amylase release was blocked by losartan, a selective AT1 angiotensin antagonist. The selective AT2 angiotensin receptor ligands CGP42112 did not alter angiotensin II-stimulated amylase released. However, CGP42112 stimulated amylase release at micromolar concentrations with a potency similar to angiotensin I. Analysis of mRNA expression by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction suggested that AT1A was the predominant type-I angiotensin receptor expressed in the AR4-2J cells.

Pathophysiological role of angiotensin II type 2 receptor in cardiovascular and renal diseases

Since the discovery of nonpeptidic ligands, the receptors for angiotensin (Ang) II have been classified into 2 subtypes (Ang II type 1 receptor [AT1-R] and Ang II type 2 receptor [AT2-R]). AT1-R mediates most of the cardiovascular actions of Ang II. AT2-R is expressed at very high levels in the developing fetus. Its expression is very low in the cardiovascular system of the adult. The expression of AT2-R can be modulated by pathological states associated with tissue remodeling or inflammation. In failing hearts or neointima formation after vascular injury, AT2-R is reexpressed in cells proliferating in interstitial regions or neointima and exerts an inhibitory effect on Ang II-induced mitogen signals or synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins, resulting in attenuation of the tissue remodeling. An extreme form of cell growth inhibition ends in programmed cell death, and this process, which is initiated by the withdrawal of growth factors, is also enhanced by AT2-R. Cardiac myocyte- or vascular smooth muscle-specific mice that overexpress AT2-R display an inhibition of Ang II-induced chronotropic or pressor actions, suggesting the role of AT2-R on the activity of cardiac pacemaker cells and the maintenance of vascular resistance. AT2-R also activates the kinin/nitric oxide/cGMP system in the cardiovascular and renal systems, resulting in AT2-R-mediated cardioprotection, vasodilation, and pressure natriuresis. These effects, transmitted by AT2-R, are mainly exerted by stimulation of protein tyrosine or serine/threonine phosphatases in a Gi protein-dependent manner. The expression level of AT2-R is much higher in human hearts than in rodent hearts, and the AT2-R-mediated actions are likely enhanced, especially by clinical application of AT1-R antagonists. Thus, in this review, the regulation of AT2-R expression, its cellular localization, its pathological role in cardiovascular and kidney diseases, and pharmacotherapeutic effects of AT2-R stimulation are discussed.

Increased transcription of CYP6D1 causes cytochrome P450-mediated insecticide resistance in house fly

Insecticide resistance is a major problem that continues to plague efforts to control pests of animals and crops. An important mechanism by which insects become resistant to insecticides is via increased detoxification mediated by the cytochrome P450 microsomal monooxygenases (monooxygenases). One of the fundamental gaps in our knowledge about this resistance mechanism is an understanding of how insects express high levels of the specific cytochrome P450(s) responsible for resistance. One such P450, CYP6D1, causes resistance to pyrethroid in the house fly and is expressed at 9-fold higher levels (mRNA and protein) in the Learn Pyrethroid Resistant (LPR) strain (compared to susceptible strains). The relative stability of CYP6D1 mRNA in resistant and susceptible strains was measured following inhibition of transcription with actinomycin D. The same time course of decrease in CYP6D1 mRNA abundance was detected in both strains indicating that the high level of expression of CYP6D1 in LPR is not due to increased stability of the mRNA. The comparative rates of transcription of CYP6D1 were measured using an in vitro run-on transcription assay. The relative amount of CYP6D1 transcript produced in this assay was 10-fold greater in the LPR strain compared to the susceptible strain. This demonstrates that increased transcription of CYP6D1 is an underlying cause of monooxygenase-mediated insecticide resistance. The increased rate of transcription of CYP6D1 in the resistant strain (LPR) is controlled by two factors: one on autosome 1 and another on autosome 2.

Molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of prostaglandin biosynthesis by glucocorticoids

The anti-inflammatory properties of glucocorticoids are attributed in part, to their interference with prostaglandin synthesis. Phospholipases A2 and cyclooxygenases, the key enzymes of prostaglandin biosynthesis, are targets of glucocorticoid action; the molecular mechanisms, however, are not yet understood in detail. Obviously, glucocorticoids can act at different levels of gene regulation depending on cell type and inducing stimulus. The current knowledge of glucocorticoid interference with phospholipase A2 and cyclooxygenase expression is summarized. In comparison with other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids are unique inasmuch as they also inhibit cytokine synthesis and expression of other inflammation-related enzymes. Based on a more detailed understanding of glucocorticoid action, it may be possible to therapeutically exploit the anti-inflammatory effects and at the same time avoid the unwanted metabolic actions of these steroids.

Translational regulation of angiotensin II type 1A receptor. Role of upstream AUG triplets

The cDNA sequence of rat angiotensin II type 1A receptor (AT1AR) shows that AT1AR transcripts have AUG triplets in the 5'-leader region that may begin a short open reading frame encoding an 11-amino acid peptide. In this study, the mutational inactivation of the start codon of the short open reading frame in AT1AR-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene constructs resulted in a 2.6-fold increase in CAT activity, whereas CAT transcript levels were not affected. Furthermore, experiments with rat AT1AR cDNA-transfected Cos-7 cells revealed that mutagenesis of the upstream AUG increased the AT1AR protein up to 2.5-fold, although AT1AR transcript levels showed no changes. The synthetic peptide corresponding to the sequence of the short open reading frame significantly suppressed the amount of AT1AR product in the in vitro translation system. The inhibiting effect of the short open reading frame appears to operate at least in part at the level of translation initiation, because polysome analysis with transfected Cos-7 cells showed that mutagenesis of the upstream AUG resulted in a shift of AT1AR mRNA distribution from a smaller to larger fraction of polysomes. Taken together, these results show that the upstream AUG inhibits translational regulation, suggesting that the short open reading frame in the 5'-leader region of AT1AR transcripts has a certain role in the translation of AT1AR protein.

Mechanical stretch induces enhanced expression of angiotensin II receptor subtypes in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes

Mechanical stress plays a pivotal role in the development of cardiac hypertrophy during hemodynamic overload, and angiotensin (Ang) II secreted from stretched myocytes plays an important role in mechanical stretch-induced hypertrophy. In the present study, we examined stretch-induced expression of Ang II receptors in an in vitro stretch model using 1-day-old rat myocytes. Both Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1-R) and type 2 receptor (AT2-R) mRNA levels were upregulated by myocyte stretching with similar time courses: significant increases were evident 6 hours after stretching, maximal levels (2.8- and 3.3-fold, respectively) were observed at 12 hours, and these were sustained for up to 18 hours. Ang II receptor expression in fibroblast-rich cultures was not affected by stretching. Conditioned medium in which myocytes were stretched for 12 hours significantly downregulated AT1-R and AT2-R mRNA levels in recipient myocytes, and this effect was almost completely blocked by AT1-R antagonists but not AT2-R antagonists. Stretch-induced expression of AT1-R and AT2-R mRNAs was further increased by 27% and 31%, respectively, after pretreatment with AT1-R antagonists, suggesting that Ang II secreted from stretched myocytes downregulates both AT1-R and AT2-R. Western blot and binding assays showed that the number of AT1-Rs and AT2-Rs increased by 2.4- and 2.6-fold, respectively, without affecting receptor affinities. Inositol phosphate response to 0.5 mumol/L Ang II was enhanced 2.1-fold in stretched myocytes. Nuclear runoff assays and treatment with actinomycin D revealed that stretch-induced upregulation of AT1-R was mainly due to increased transcription, whereas that of AT2-R resulted from a stabilizing effect on AT2-R mRNA metabolism. Stretch-induced changes in levels of Ang II receptors were inhibited by genistein but not by H-7, staurosporin, and protein kinase C depletion or by BAPTA-AM. Exposure to cycloheximide did not affect stretch-induced changes. These findings indicate that nonsecretory pathways activated by myocyte stretching upregulate the expression of Ang II receptor subtypes transcriptionally and posttranscriptionally through mechanisms involving stretch-activated tyrosine kinases independently of de novo protein synthesis and that the AT1-R-mediated action of Ang II is functionally enhanced in stretched cardiac myocytes.

The antiglucocorticoid action of mifepristone

Glucocorticoid hormones influence the physiological activity of almost all cell types in the mammal. This is accomplished via a soluble receptor that, in the presence of an appropriate steroid, modifies the activity of RNA polymerase by binding to the site where different factors assemble for the initiation of cell transcription. The development of antiglucocorticoids has permitted the molecular elucidation of a number of underlying events. Contrary to the classical view, it is now clear that the affinity, stability and activability of the glucocorticoid receptor in the presence of a steroid are cell- and/or tissue-dependent events. The antiglucocorticoid RU 38486 can even activate transcription by binding to sites distinct from those that process transactivation by the agonist. Furthermore, glucocorticoids can sometimes activate the mineralocorticoid receptor, whereas mineralocorticoids can bind the glucocorticoid receptor. Since mifepristone is devoid of adverse toxicity, it has been used for the paraclinical diagnosis of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in normal volunteers, subjects with disorders of the behaviour, and the treatment of Cushing's disease. However, the whole spectrum of cell-specific processes that are antagonized by RU 38486 suggests wide ranging possibilities in the eventual application of antigluco-corticoids.