Effect of progesterone on aldosterone secretion in rats.

In both human and animal studies high progesterone states are associated with elevated aldosterone production but variable changes in PRA. These experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that progesterone has an effect similar to a low sodium diet on the glomerulosa cell: increasing aldosterone synthase messenger RNA activity and aldosterone production. Ovariectomized (OVX) rats were injected with progesterone (1 mg/100 g) or vehicle (SHAM) for 5 days. In a separate study, intact rats were placed on a low (0.02%) or high (1.6%) sodium diet for 5 days. On the day of death, rats were decapitated and blood collected for serum hormone determinations. Isolated adrenal glomerulosa cells were incubated +/- 10 nM angiotensin II (A II), after which aldosterone and corticosterone were measured. Early (conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone) and late (conversion of corticosterone to aldosterone) aldosterone pathway activity was assessed in parallel incubates by adding cyanoketone and excess corticosterone with subsequent measurement of pregnenolone and aldosterone. In vivo, progesterone administration, like dietary sodium restriction, caused a significant increase in PRA (p < or = 0.043) and plasma aldosterone (p < or = 0.009), with no change in plasma corticosterone. Additionally, both treatments caused a significant increase in baseline (P < or = 0.01) and A II-stimulated (p < or = 0.027) aldosterone secretion in vitro. This increased responsiveness was secondary to activation of late pathway activity (p < or = 0.022) as determined by both an increased conversion of corticosterone to aldosterone and by an increase in messenger RNA levels of the late pathway enzyme aldosterone synthase. Thus, chronic progesterone administration apparently does not directly influence aldosterone secretion, but rather acts indirectly to increase aldosterone by mechanisms similar to sodium restriction.

Sodium restriction increases aldosterone biosynthesis by increasing late pathway, but not early pathway, messenger ribonucleic acid levels and enzyme activity in normotensive rats.

To determine whether changes in dietary sodium intake modify the early and/or late pathways of aldosterone biosynthesis, we studied in Sprague-Dawley rats the effect of sodium restriction on early (conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone) and late (conversion of corticosterone to aldosterone) pathway activity and on the mRNA levels for the enzymes regulating these steps. Sodium restriction increased basal and angiotensin-II-stimulated aldosterone output from isolated zona glomerulosa cells by 5- to 9-fold. This increase in aldosterone output did not appear to be due to changes in the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone or in the mRNA levels of the early pathway enzyme, cholesterol side-chain cleavage cytochrome P-450. In contrast, sodium restriction increased the conversion of corticosterone to aldosterone 10-fold and increased by over 10-fold the mRNA levels of the late pathway enzyme aldosterone synthase. Sodium restriction had no effect on zona glomerulosa levels of 11 beta-hydroxylase mRNA. In two other normotensive rats, Dahl salt-resistant and Wistar Kyoto, sodium restriction again specifically increased aldosterone synthase mRNA without altering 11 beta-hydroxylase or cholesterol side-chain cleavage cytochrome P-450 mRNA levels. Thus, it appears that sodium restriction specifically increases late pathway aldosterone synthase mRNA levels, resulting in an increase in enzyme levels, followed by an increase in late pathway activity and an increase in aldosterone output.

Abnormal norepinephrine and aldosterone responses to upright posture in nonmodulating hypertension.

The subgroup of patients with nonmodulating hypertension demonstrates a number of abnormalities of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis. We previously identified abnormalities in plasma and urinary dopamine in nonmodulators and posited that this may be in part due to a generalized defect in sympathetic nervous system activity. In the present study we assessed the state of activation of the renin-angiotensin system and the sympathetic nervous system in normal subjects and patients with modulating, nonmodulating, and low renin essential hypertension during sodium depletion and change from supine to upright posture. Levels of plasma norepinephrine were higher in non-modulators during the posture study (P < 0.05). PRA rose with upright posture in all groups, but low renin subjects had a blunted response. Nonmodulators and low renin subjects had lower aldosterone levels both supine (P< 0.05) and upright (P< 0.01). However, the aldosterone/PRA increment ratio was increased in low renin subjects (P< 0.01), whereas it was decreased in nonmodulators. Twenty-four-hour urine collections for catecholamine determinations were obtained in a subgroup of the subjects, with nonmodulators showing higher levels of norepinephrine excretion which approached significance (P = 0.08). In vitro experiments using rat and human adrenal glomerulosa cells showed that norepinephrine does not affect aldosterone secretion per se. These observations extend the series of abnormalities observed in nonmodulating hypertension. However, it is likely that the alterations in norepinephrine levels during sodium depetion and upright posture are a secondary event and not linked to the altered aldosterone production in these patients.

Dose effect of adrenocorticotropin on aldosterone and cortisol biosynthesis in cultured bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells: in vitro correlate of hyperreninemic hypoaldosteronism.

In some critically ill patients, aldosterone secretion is diminished despite hyperreninemia. These same patients demonstrate appropriately elevated plasma ACTH and cortisol levels. In addition, infusion of ACTH or angiotensin-II (AII) fails to elicit the normal aldosterone response, implying that the defect is at the level of the zona glomerulosa (ZG) cell. To test the hypothesis that elevated ACTH levels induce this defect, Percoll-purified bovine ZG cells were plated in serum-free defined medium and cultured for 5 days. On days 1-4, cells were exposed to various concentrations of ACTH for 1 h. On the fifth day of culture, half of the wells pretreated with ACTH were treated for 1 h with AII (10(-7) M); the other half of the wells received another dose of ACTH for 1 h. Additionally, cells were exposed to daily 1-h pulses of AII (10(-7) M) alone or in combination with ACTH (10(-8) M) for 5 days. Acutely dispersed bovine ZG cells showed dose-dependent increases in aldosterone when incubated with ACTH, potassium, or AII, with minimal cortisol production. Acutely dispersed bovine fasciculata cells produced no aldosterone, but demonstrated a dose-dependent cortisol response to ACTH and AII, but not potassium. On day 1 of culture, the ZG cells demonstrated a significant (P less than 0.001 in all cases) dose-related increase in aldosterone secretion in response to ACTH. However, continued daily pulsation with ACTH resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in aldosterone secretion, with a concomitant dose- and time-related rise in cortisol production. Indeed, ACTH-induced cortisol production in ZG became similar to ACTH-induced cortisol production in zona fasciculata cells. The addition of AII to the daily ACTH pulse did not significantly alter the aldosterone or cortisol response patterns to ACTH alone. In contrast, ZG cells treated with AII alone for 5 days showed a minimal change in cortisol production and no reduction in aldosterone production until day 4. Northern blot analysis of total RNA isolated from ZG cells pulsed with ACTH for 5 days demonstrated a parallel dose-dependent increase in 17 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA, which did not occur in cells pulsed with AII alone. These in vitro results suggest that elevated ACTH levels over time induce 17 alpha-hydroxylase activity in ZG cells, thereby shifting steroid biosynthesis from an aldosterone-producing to a cortisol-producing pathway. It is likely that the chronically elevated ACTH levels in critically ill patients induce a similar change in ZG cell biosynthesis, resulting in their hyperreninemic hypoaldosterone state.

Dissociation in plasma renin and adrenal ANG II and aldosterone responses to sodium restriction in rats.

In rats, plasma renin activity (PRA) increases sharply, reaching a plateau within hours of sodium restriction. Plasma aldosterone increases gradually, not reaching a plateau for 1-2 days. To determine whether this dissociation is secondary to the time needed to modify adrenal sensitivity to angiotensin II (ANG II) and to assess the role of locally produced ANG II in this process, rats were salt restricted for 0-120 h. Plasma hormone levels were assessed, adrenal ANG II was measured, and basal and ANG II (1 x 10(-8) M)-stimulated steroidogenesis were determined in vitro. Although PRA attained an elevated plateau within 8 h, plasma aldosterone did not peak until after 48 h of sodium depletion. The in vitro aldosterone sensitivity to exogenous ANG II was not apparent until rats had been salt restricted for 16 h. A plateau (4-fold increase above the ANG II response on high salt) was achieved between 24 and 48 h. Adrenal ANG II also exhibited a similar delayed response that correlates significantly with changes in aldosterone biosynthesis and late pathway activity. Thus the dissociation between PRA and plasma aldosterone may be secondary to a lag in the zona glomerulosa's (ZG) steroidogenic response to ANG II as well as a parallel lag in tissue ANG II production, suggesting that changes in tissue ANG II may mediate ZG sensitivity to ANG II during sodium deprivation.

Sodium-mediated modulation of aldosterone secretion: impact of converting enzyme inhibition on rat glomerulosa cell response to angiotensin-II.

Sodium restriction enhances the aldosterone response to angiotensin-II (AII) in normal rats, but not in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). To determine whether a change and/or abnormality in the circulating or adrenal renin-angiotensin systems are responsible for these observations, three groups of animals were studied on a low sodium diet with and without the administration of a converting enzyme inhibitor (enalapril). Sprague-Dawley and Wistar-Kyoto (normotensive rat strains) and SHR were placed on low sodium (0.1%) for 9 days, the last 4 days of which enalapril was administered to half of the animals. In all groups enalapril treatment resulted in a significant (P less than 0.001) reduction in blood pressure, an increase in renin activity, and a reduction in plasma aldosterone when all of the animals were considered together, although the change in blood pressure achieved statistical significance only in the Wistar-Kyoto rats. Additionally, basal aldosterone output from isolated glomerulosa cells was lower in the normotensive animals pretreated with enalapril. However, despite the evidence for inhibition of converting enzyme, there was no change in the hypertensive animals. Thus, neither locally nor systemically generated AII appear to participate in the maintenance of the increased aldosterone responsiveness to AII with sodium restriction. Furthermore, they do not appear to contribute to the altered adrenal responsiveness to AII with sodium restriction in SHR. These data provide further support for the hypothesis that as yet undefined glomerulosa intracellular mechanisms are altered by dietary sodium restriction in normotensive, but not hypertensive, rats.

Rate of activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis and sodium intake in rats.

When sodium intake in the rat is reduced abruptly from the typical high level to a very low level (0.02%), sodium excretion falls exponentially, with a half time of 2-3 h. The result is that the rat achieves external sodium balance, in which intake equals excretion, on the new low intake within a few hours. In this study, we assessed the rate of activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis and its contribution to blood pressure during that interval. Plasma renin activity and angiotensin II concentration had risen sharply within 8 h and did not change over the next 40 h. Plasma aldosterone concentration, on the other hand, continued to rise over 48 h. Within 8 h, blood pressure dependency on angiotensin II had increased sharply, as assessed by depressor responses to an angiotensin antagonist (Sar1-Ala8-angiotensin II) and to converting-enzyme inhibition (captopril). The depressor response to neither agent changed over the next 40 h. The pressor response to angiotensin II was blunted significantly by 8 h and also did not change over the next 40 h. The findings indicate that the rapid tempo of sodium homeostasis in the rat is matched by an equally rapid tempo of activation of the renin-angiotensin system, although the factors responsible for aldosterone release are probably more complex. Experiments to assess the renin-angiotensin system in the rat must be designed with this rapid tempo in mind.

Mass determination of polyphosphoinositides and inositol triphosphate in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells with a microspectrophotometric method.

A method is described for the assay of subnanogram amounts of phosphorus in phospholipids and organic phosphates. The formation of a complex with a high molar absorption coefficient at 600 nm when malachite green is added to phosphomolybdate at low pH and the adaptation of a microspectrophotometer to quantify the color in 10 microliters solution have made it possible for a dose-response curve from 0.1-1.2 ng phosphorus to be developed. The method has been applied to the assay of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns), phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PtdIns 4-P), phosphatidylinositol-4,5-diphosphate (PtdIns 4,5-P2), and inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate (Ins 1,4,5-P3) in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells after stimulation with angiotensin II (AII), K+, and ACTH for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, and 60 sec. A control (nonstimulated) sample was incubated concomitantly for every time period. Nonstimulated cell levels (mean +/- SEM; n = 216) were: PtdIns, 577 +/- 6.4; PtdIns 4-P, 183 +/- 3.1; PtdIns 4,5-P2, 59 +/- 1.8; and Ins 1,4,5-P3, 94 +/- 1.3 pmol/incubate. Maximum increase in levels of PtdIns, PtdIns 4-P, PtdIns 4,5-P2, and Ins 1,4,5-P3 above control values was obtained after 8 sec with AII (10(-8) M) and after 6 sec with K+ (8.7 mM) stimulation. The values (picomoles per 2 X 10(5) cell incubate; n = 4) were: PtdIns, 808 +/- 28; PtdIns 4-P, 263 +/- 20; PtdIns 4,5-P2, 112 +/- 10; and Ins 1,4,5-P3, 136 +/- 4 for AII stimulation, and PtdIns, 925 +/- 76, PtdIns 4-P, 308 +/- 11; PtdIns 4,5-P2 146 +/- 28; and Ins 1,4,5-P3, 149 +/- 5 for K+ stimulation. No increase above control levels could be found at any incubation time after ACTH stimulation. Thus, both AII and K+ stimulate a short-lived increase in the mass of several elements of the phosphatidylinositol pathway. The discrepancy between these mass determinations and isotope study suggests that only some, but not all, pools are labeled by currently available techniques.

Kinetics of sodium homeostasis in rats: rapid excretion and equilibration rates.

In normal humans, when sodium intake is abruptly reduced from a high to a very low level, renal sodium excretion falls exponentially (half time approximately 24 h), and several days are required to achieve external sodium balance, where intake equals excretion. Because much of our knowledge of intrarenal mechanisms comes from the rat, we studied their capacity to handle sodium. In two strains of rat, Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), whether the sodium load was administered intravenously, by gavage, or by spontaneous feeding, the slope relating sodium excretion to time was 8-10 times more rapid than in humans, reflecting half times of 2-3 h, and external sodium balance was achieved in hours rather than days. The combination of normal rat nocturnal feeding patterns and the rapidity of the response result in a daily spontaneous transition from an expanded state with a high or intermediate level of sodium excretion to a more contracted state, with minimal sodium excretion. Studies designed to assess sodium homeostasis in rats, and related renal and hormonal changes, must consider these rapid transitions, which are related, perhaps, to the rats' persistent and remarkably rapid growth.

Comparative effect of angiotensin II, potassium, adrenocorticotropin, and cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate on cytosolic calcium in rat adrenal cells.

The present study compares changes in cytosolic calcium and steroidogenesis when rat adrenal cells are stimulated with potassium (K+), angiotensin II (AII), ACTH, and (Bu)2cAMP (cAMP). The calcium-sensitive fluorescent dye, quin 2, was used to determine cytosolic calcium concentrations. K+ and AII both induced parallel increases in cytosolic calcium and aldosterone output. Removal of external calcium from the incubation media or addition of nifedipine inhibited the rise in cytosolic calcium in response to these two secretagogues. Inhibition of release of intracellularly-bound calcium by incubating the cells with 8-(N-N-diethylamino)octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate hydrochloride or dantrolene sodium reduced the rise in cytosolic calcium in response to these two secretagogues by 40-50%. In contrast, neither ACTH nor cAMP altered cytosolic calcium levels in the glomerulosa cells, even though quin 2-loaded cells showed a normal steroidogenic response to these agents. Thus, there was a dissociation between the cytosolic calcium response and steroidogenesis during cAMP stimulation of glomerulosa cells. Fasciculata cells incubated in the presence of increasing concentrations of cAMP, ACTH, K+, or AII failed to demonstrate an increase in cytosolic calcium, although the cells had a normal steroidogenic response to ACTH and cAMP. These results suggest that the responses of fasciculata and glomerulosa cells to secretagogues have different dependencies on calcium. The fasciculata cell has little calcium dependency while the glomerulosa cell has a variable dependency. In the glomerulosa cell, both AII and K+ induced similar responses in steroid output and cytosolic calcium, suggesting an important role for cytosolic calcium as a mediator of the steroidogenic effect of these secretagogues. Furthermore, part of the increase in cytosolic calcium induced by these agents is due to release of intracellularly bound calcium and part from increased calcium flux across the cell membrane. The absence of such dependency with cAMP suggests that an increase in intracellular calcium levels is not required for increased steroidogenesis in glomerulosa cells.

Unique calcium dependencies of the activating mechanism of the early and late aldosterone biosynthetic pathways in the rat.

This study compared the extracellular calcium dependency and the enzymatic locus of that dependency for N6 O2'-dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP)-, angiotensin II- and potassium-stimulated aldosterone secretion in dispersed rat glomerulosa cells. The need for extracellular calcium, calcium influx, and specifically for calcium influx through the calcium channel was examined. dbcAMP, angiotensin II and potassium, in the presence of calcium (3.5 mmol/l), significantly (P less than 0.01) increased aldosterone output by at least 1.5-fold. Yet in the absence of extracellular calcium or in the presence of lanthanum (an inhibitor of calcium influx by most mechanisms) all three stimuli failed to increase aldosterone secretion. Nifedipine, a dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist, significantly (P less than 0.01) reduced angiotensin II- and potassium-stimulated aldosterone secretion, but had no effect on dbcAMP-stimulated aldosterone secretion (100 +/- 14 vs 105 +/- 19 pmol/10(6) cells). Likewise nitrendipine failed to inhibit ACTH-stimulated aldosterone secretion. Angiotension II and potassium activation of both the early aldosterone biosynthetic pathway (as reflected by pregnenolone production in the presence of cyanoketone) and also its late pathway (as reflected by the conversion of exogenous corticosterone to aldosterone in the presence of cyanoketone) were significantly (P less than 0.01) inhibited by lanthanum, nifedipine and by reducing the extracellular calcium concentration. However, with dbcAMP stimulation, none of these manipulations modified pregnenolone production. Late pathway activation by dbcAMP was inhibited by lanthanum and a reduction in extracellular calcium, but not by nifedipine. These observations suggest that: the extracellular calcium dependency of dbcAMP-, angiotensin II- and potassium-stimulated aldosterone secretion reflects a need for calcium influx; with dbcAMP stimulation, activation of the late pathway is dependent on calcium influx by a calcium channel-independent mechanism, whereas activation of the early pathway is not dependent on extracellular calcium or calcium influx and activation of both the early and late pathway by angiotensin II and potassium is dependent on calcium influx by a calcium channel-dependent mechanism. Therefore, we conclude that the mechanism of activation of the early aldosterone biosynthetic pathway by dbcAMP is different from angiotensin II or potassium and early pathway activation is distinct from that of late pathway activation with dbcAMP stimulation.

Calcium, a "third messenger" of cAMP-stimulated adrenal steroid secretion.

This study examines the role of extracellular calcium and calcium mobilization from intracellular stores in mediating cAMP-stimulated steroid secretion by rat adrenal glomerulosa cells (GC) and fasciculata cells (FC). When GC were incubated acutely in a calcium-deficient buffer, cAMP failed to significantly increase aldosterone secretion above base line. Aldosterone secretion, however, rose from 17 +/- 2 to 32 +/- 4 ng/10(6) cells (P less than 0.01) as calcium in the medium was increased from 0 to 3.5 mM. In contrast, cAMP-stimulated corticosterone production by FC was not influenced by changes in the external calcium concentration. Lanthanum (10(-4) M), an inhibitor of calcium influx, reduced cAMP-stimulated aldosterone secretion from 69 +/- 10 to 42 +/- 5 ng/10(6) cells (P less than 0.01) but failed to alter cAMP-stimulated fasciculata steroidogenesis. Depletion of intracellular calcium stores, achieved by incubating with EGTA, markedly blunted cAMP-stimulated corticosterone secretion in GC from 666 +/- 126 to 32 +/- 6 ng/10(6) cells (P less than 0.01), and cAMP-stimulated corticosterone secretion in FC from 2,223 +/- 407 to 414 +/- 58 ng/10(6) cells (P less than 0.01). TMB-8, a putative inhibitor of intracellular calcium mobilization, markedly inhibited (P less than 0.01) cAMP-stimulated aldosterone secretion by GC from 469 +/- 31 to 48 +/- 8 ng/10(6) cells and corticosterone secretion by FC from 9,867 +/- 1,821 to 2,832 +/- 586 ng/10(6) cells. These observations suggest that cAMP activation of adrenal steroidogenesis requires the release of calcium from intracellular stores.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Is the adrenal angiotensin receptor angiotensin II--or angiotensin III like?

In order to determine whether the adrenal receptor is primarily directed at angiotensin II (AII) or angiotensin III (AIII) the following in vitro experiments were performed examining aldosterone responsiveness in isolated glomerulosa cells. 1) Cells exposed to increasing doses (2.4 X 10(-10)M - 2.4 X 10(-6)M) of AII or AIII were found to be significantly more responsive to AII (AII's ED50 was 6.3 X 10(-10) M vs AIII's 4.6 X 10(-9)M P less than 0.001). 2) Octapeptide analogues (Sar1 Ala8 and Asn1 Ala8), while demonstrating different inhibitory potencies relative to each other, were equally effective in blocking AII vs AIII stimulation. 3) The heptapeptide analogues (des1 Ala8 and des1 Ile8) however, inhibited AIII stimulation preferentially (P less than 0.01). 4) The 8 alanine octapeptide analogues were better inhibitors of both AII and AIII stimulation than the 8 alanine heptapeptide analogue. 5) HPLC analysis indicated that AII and AIII were being degraded at the same rate during the incubation procedure. These results, taken together, strongly suggest that the angiotensin adrenal receptor is an AII receptor.

Metoclopramide inhibits aldosterone biosynthesis in vitro.

Metoclopramide, a dopaminergic antagonist, has consistently elevated plasma aldosterone levels in vivo. To determine whether this was a direct action of metoclopramide on adrenal steroidogenesis, we examined the response of collagenase-dispersed rat adrenal glomerulosa cells to metoclopramide in vitro. The effect of increasing concentrations of metoclopramide (3 X 10(-10) to 3 X 10(-4) M) on basal as well as angiotensin II (2.4 X 10(-10) to 2.4 X 10(-8) M)-, ACTH (3.5 X 10(-11) M)- and potassium (5.9 meq/liter)-stimulated aldosterone production was evaluated. Metoclopramide caused a dose-related decrease in basal and stimulated aldosterone production (P less than 0.01). In addition, metoclopramide also blocked basal and stimulated corticosterone production (P less than 0.01). This was not due to an irreversible toxic effect, since glomerulosa cells preincubated with 3 X 10(-4) M metoclopramide excluded trypan blue dye and responded to ACTH stimulation. Sodium metabisulfite, an antioxidant present in the metoclopramide preparation, did not contribute to the metoclopramide effect. These results indicate that metoclopramide is an aldosterone antagonist in vitro, contrary to reported data obtained in vivo. Thus, metoclopramide may be a partial dopaminergic agonist: in vitro where dopamine levels are negligible, it is an agonist, whereas in vivo where dopamine concentrations are greater, it is an antagonist.

Decreased adrenal responsiveness to angiotensin II: a defect present in spontaneously hypertensive rats. A possible model of human essential hypertension.

30% of patients with essential hypertension have a decreased adrenal response to angiotensin II (A II) on a low but not a high sodium intake. They also have a compensatory increase in the activity of the renin-angiotensin system best documented in a sodium-restricted state.To assess whether such a mechanism could account for the hypertension in genetically hypertensive rats, adrenal responsiveness to A II was determined in three groups of rats; spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), normotensive Wistar rats (WKY), and normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats (SDR). Animals in each group were placed on either a low or high sodium diet for 14 d with balance assessed by sodium excretion. The animals were then decapitated, blood was obtained for plasma renin activity (PRA), A II and aldosterone and adrenals isolated for the preparation of purified glomerulosa cells. The cells were incubated in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate solution, containing bovine serum albumin, for 60 min in the absence and presence of increasing concentrations of A II. The PRA, basal aldosterone output, and adrenal sensitivity to A II were similar in the three groups of rats on the high sodium diet. On the low sodium diet the SHR had a significantly (P < 0.01) higher PRA (25+/-7 ng/ml per h) than either the WKY (12+/-2 ng/ml per h) or the SDR (7+/-1 ng/ml per h) and lower basal aldosterone output (68+/-17 vs. 154+/-43 and 197+/-21 ng/10(6) cells per h, respectively). In addition, the slope of the A II dose response curve was more shallow (P < 0.01) in the cells from the SHR than those obtained from the WKY and SDR.Thus, the SHR PRA and aldosterone responses to sodium restriction and aldosterone response to A II were similar to that previously described in a subgroup of patients with essential hypertension suggesting that the SHR will serve as a model for exploring the mechanism(s) responsible for the hypertension in these patients.

Angiotensin II's role in mediating angiotensin I- and tetradecapeptide-induced steroidogenesis by rat glomerulosa cells.

To evaluate the role of angiotensin II (A II) in mediating the steroidogenic response to angiotensin I (A I) and tetradecapeptide, rat glomerulosa cells were incubated with each peptide in the presence or absence of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (captopril or the nonapeptide bradykinin-potentiating factor). Both A I and tetradecapeptide increased aldosterone secretion in a dose-dependent fashion, but were considerably less effective (P less than 0.001) than the same dose (2.4 X 10(-9) M) of A II. In addition, both A I and tetradecapeptide caused a dose-dependent increase in A II accumulation in the incubation media, indicating that part of their steroidogenic effect is indirect via conversion to the octapeptide. While captopril (1.0 X 10(-4) M) almost completely blocked A I (2.4 X 10(-8) M)-induced A II accumulation, it caused only a 50% reduction (P less than 0.01) in aldosterone output. The nonapeptide-converting enzyme inhibitor (2.3 X 10(-6) M) produced a similar blockade. This lack of complete inhibition of A I-induced steroidogenesis suggests that A I also has a direct effect on the glomerulosa cells, i.e. 50% of the activity of A I is due to intrinsic activity. On the other hand, converting enzyme inhibitors did not affect tetradecapeptide-induced aldosterone output or A II accumulation, making it impossible to determine if it has a direct steroidogenic effect. The failure of converting enzyme inhibitors to modify tetradecapeptide-induced accumulation of A II suggests that an enzyme other than converting enzyme is responsible for its generation.

The effect of angiotensin II and saralasin on 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone production by isolated human adrenal glomerulosa cells.

To assess the role of angiotensin II (AII) in regulating 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone (18-OHDOC) secretion in man, isolated human adrenal glomerulosa cells were incubated with AII and/or its competitive antagonist, saralasin. AII 2.4 X 10(-8) M) elicited an 80% increase in 18-OHDOC levels as well as similar increases in aldosterone, 18-hydroxycorticosterone, and corticosterone (P less than 0.01). Saralasin (10(-8) M) caused a partial but significant inhibition of AII-stimulated 18-OHDOC production, while 10(-6) M saralasin blocked AII-stimulated steroidogenesis completely. In addition, both concentrations of saralasin caused 10--30% decrements in basal steroid levels. The direct AII effect on 18-OHDOC secretion and the antagonistic effect of saralasin on both exogenous and endogenous AII-stimulated steroidogenesis, documented in these experiments, indicate that the increase in 18-OHDOC levels after sodium restriction reported in man is probably mediated by the renin-angiotensin system. Furthermore, because high concentrations of saralasin did not increase aldosterone secretion, the partial agonist properties of saralasin in vivo in man may not be due to a direct effect on the glomerulosa cell.