Studies on the angiotensin II receptor in the zona glomerulosa of the rat adrenal gland

Hydrodynamic properties of the angiotensin II receptor from bovine adrenal zona glomerulosa

The bovine adrenal angiotensin II receptor was solubilized with the non-ionic detergent octyl beta-D-glucoside following its binding with the high-affinity antagonist 125I-labelled [Sar1,Ile8]angiotensin II. The complex was sufficiently stable to allow the determination of its hydrodynamic properties. The solubilized receptor migrated on a Superose 6 column as a single peak with a Stokes radius of 5.29 nm. Comparison of sedimentation behaviour through a sucrose density gradient in H2O and 2H2O lead to a partial specific volume of 0.751 ml/g and a sedimentation coefficient (S20,w) of 5.17 S. Combination of gel filtration and sedimentation data indicated that the labelled protein-detergent complex has an Mr of 124,000 and a frictional ratio of 1.42. The Mr of the angiotensin II receptor was estimated as 104,000 kDa after correction for the bound detergent. Photoaffinity cross-linking of 125I-[Sar1, (4-N3)Phe8]angiotension II with bovine adrenal membrane receptor followed by SDS/PAGE under reducing and non-reducing conditions yielded a broad band of Mr 54,000. This suggests that the angiotensin II receptor is a non-covalent dimer in which the two subunits have a similar Mr.

Adrenocorticotropin regulates angiotensin II receptors in bovine adrenal cells in vitro

The role of ACTH-(1-24) on angiotensin II receptors has been studied in bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells in primary culture. Angiotensin II receptors were measured in cells pretreated or not by ACTH-(1-24) on day 4 of culture. ACTH-(1-24) decreased angiotensin II binding sites in a time and a dose-dependent manner. After 24 hours of treatment the minimal effective dose of ACTH-(1-24) was 10(-11)M and the maximal effect was obtained with 10(-8)M. Moreover, ACTH-(1-24) 10(-8)M decreased significantly angiotensin II receptors after 6 hours of treatment. Scatchard plot analysis showed that ACTH-(1-24) treatment did not modify the affinity of angiotensin II receptors (Ka = 0.42 and 0.44 X 10(9)M-1 in control and treated cells respectively) but reduced by about half the number of angiotensin II sites per cell. Like ACTH-(1-24), 8-Bromo-cAMP, forskolin and cholera toxin decreased angiotensin II receptors. Factors such as prolactin, somatostatin, ACTH-(11-24) and dopamine which are bound to adrenal membranes without increasing cAMP production had no effect. In conclusion, these studies in vitro demonstrate for the first time that ACTH decreases angiotensin II receptors by a direct mechanism acting on glomerulosa cells, and they also suggest that this effect could be mediated by cAMP.

Localization of aldosterone and corticosterone in the central nervous system, assessed by quantitative autoradiography

Nuclear localization of tritiated aldosterone in the CNS was studied in rats by numerical evaluation of silver grains, deposited over neuronal cell nuclei in thaw-mounted autoradiograms, and compared with the localization obtained after prior administration of a 100-fold excess of radioinert aldosterone, corticosterone or 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone (18-OH-DOC). Corticosterone and 18-OH-DOC completely prevented nuclear localization in most regions examined. However, in contrast to pretreatment with aldosterone, pretreatment with corticosterone and 18-OH-DOC did not completely prevent the concentration of radioactivity in the cell nuclei of the indusium griseum. Traces of radioactivity were, furthermore, retained in areas CA1 and CA2 and the dentate gyrus in rats exposed to corticosterone, but not to 18-OH-DOC, prior to [3H]aldosterone. A similar profile of silver grain distribution to that noted with aldosterone was found for corticosterone except that with tritiated corticosterone the most intense concentration of radioactivity occurred in hippocampal areas CA1 and CA2 and not in the indusium griseum. Prior administration of excess deoxycorticosterone acetate abolished nuclear accumulation of tritiated corticosterone. Dihydrotestosterone, on the other hand, failed to compete with tritiated corticosterone at a dose 200-fold in excess of the tritiated steroid. We conclude that (1) a receptor readily shared by aldosterone, corticosterone, 18-OH-DOC and DOC, but not by dihydrotestosterone, is widely distributed throughout the CNS, (2) a receptor shared by aldosterone and 18-OH-DOC, but not by corticosterone may be present in hippocampal areas CA1 and CA2, (3) that both these as well as the receptor accepting dihydrotestosterone can be located within the same cell.

Solubilization and characterization of an angiotensin II binding protein from liver

Binding sites with high affinity for angiotensin II were solubilized from hepatic membranes by treatment with digitonin. Binding of radioiodinated angiotensin II was assayed by gel filtration and independently by a technique exploiting the failure of activated charcoal to adsorb the bound ligand. The binding protein was partially purified using ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by gel filtration, and in the presence of protease inhibitors, the isolated binding protein preparation did not catalyze degradation of the angiotensin II. Binding to the membranes as well as to the solubilized preparation was specific and saturable. The membranes exhibited a single set of high-affinity binding sites with a Kd of 0.5 nM. The solubilized preparation, also showed the presence of a single class of high-affinity binding sites (Kd = 10.5 nM). Displacement studies using angiotensin I as well as various fragments, agonists and antagonists of angiotensin II disclosed a structure-activity profile similar to that found with intact membranes. Dissociation of angiotensin II from the soluble macromolecular complex was slow but was enhanced at non-physiological pH values or in the presence of 4.5 M urea, or 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate. Covalent binding of the radioiodinated angiotensin II to a single, specific macromolecular component was achieved by treatment with disuccinimidyl suberate. The apparent molecular weight of this reduced, denatured radioactive protein was estimated at about 68 000 by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Effect of various solubilizers on angiotensinII receptors in bovine adrenocortical plasma membranes

3 nonionic detergents, Triton X-100, Lubrol WX and NP-40, inhibited binding of [3H]-ATII to bovine adrenocortical plasma membranes. This effect appeared to be direct and not due to solubilization of the ATII receptor by these agents. Sodium deoxycholate and the chaotropic ions, ClO4- and Br-, produced effects similar to the nonionic detergents.