Angiotensin II type1a receptor gene expression in the heart: AP-1 and GATA-4 participate in the response to pressure overload.

Hypertrophy of mammalian cardiac muscle is mediated, in part, by angiotensin II through an angiotensin II type1a receptor (AT1aR)-dependent mechanism. To understand how the level of AT1aRs is altered in this pathological state, we studied the expression of an injected AT1aR promoter-luciferase reporter gene in adult rat hearts subjected to an acute pressure overload by aortic coarctation. This model was validated by demonstrating that coarctation increased expression of the alpha-skeletal actin promoter 1.7-fold whereas the alpha-myosin heavy chain promoter was unaffected. Pressure overload increased expression from the AT1aR promoter by 1. 6-fold compared with controls. Mutations introduced into consensus binding sites for AP-1 or GATA transcription factors abolished the pressure overload response but had no effect on AT1aR promoter activity in control animals. In extracts from coarcted hearts, but not from control hearts, a Fos-JunB-JunD complex and GATA-4 were detected in association with the AP-1 and GATA sites, respectively. These results establish that the AT1aR promoter is active in cardiac muscle and its expression is induced by pressure overload, and suggest that this response is mediated, in part, by a functional interaction between AP-1 and GATA-4 transcription factors.

Selective guanylyl cyclase inhibitor reverses nitric oxide-induced vasorelaxation.

Effects of a novel soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), were characterized on guanylyl cyclase activity in cytosolic fraction of COS-7 cells overexpressing the alpha 1 and beta 1 subunits of the rat soluble enzyme. ODQ was a noncompetitive inhibitor of soluble guanylyl cyclase with respect to Mn2+ or Mn(2+)-GTP and was a mixed competitive/noncompetitive inhibitor with respect to nitric oxide (NO) donation. ODQ (10 mumol/L) reduced deta nonoate-stimulated cGMP production in COS-7 cells overexpressing soluble guanylyl cyclase and in rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells. ODQ did not inhibit particulate forms of the enzyme rat guanylyl cyclase-A, -B, or -C, did not block NO synthase, and did not auto-oxidize deta nonoate-donated NO in the presence of cells at physiological pH. Therefore, ODQ is a selective inhibitor of soluble guanylyl cyclase. Using ODQ in isolated aortic ring preparations, we tested the hypothesis that soluble guanylyl cyclase mediates vasorelaxant activity associated with NO. Phenylephrine (100 nmol/L)-precontracted, isolated rat aortas were relaxed in a concentration-dependent manner by deta nonoate (0.01 to 100 mumol/L) and nitroglycerin (0.01 to 300 mumol/L). ODQ (10 mumol/L) attenuated deta nonoate- and nitroglycerin-mediated relaxation of contracted aortas. ODQ had no effect on natriuretic peptide-, 8-bromo-cGMP-, isoproterenol-, or bimakalim-mediated aortic relaxation. These results support the hypothesis that soluble guanylyl cyclase mediates vasorelaxant activity associated with nitric oxide.

Effects of paraventricular nucleus lesions on chronic renal hypertension.

The contribution of the paraventricular nucleus region of the hypothalamus (PVN) to the maintenance of one-kidney, figure-8 renal wrap hypertension was determined in this study. Electrolytic ablation of the PVN was performed 4 wk after the production of hypertension or sham operation. Ablation of the PVN region significantly reduced mean arterial pressure (MAP) from 150 +/- 9 to 110 +/- 3 mmHg in the hypertensive rats. In the sham-hypertensive group, the lesion decreased MAP from 118 +/- 2 to 99 +/- 4 mmHg. In both groups of animals MAP from 118 +/- 2 to 99 +/- 4 mmHg. In both groups of animals MAP returned to prelesion values by day 7 postlesion. When ganglionic blockade was performed on day 7 postlesion, the fall in MAP was greater in hypertensive rats (-44 +/- 5 mmHg) than in normotensive rats (-26 +/- 3 mmHg). In a separate group of rats studied 3 days after PVN ablation, ganglionic blockade produced similar decreases in MAP in the wrapped and sham-operated animals. These studies suggest that the PVN contributes to the increased functional sympathetic nervous system associated with one-kidney, figure-8 renal hypertension. Although ablation of the PVN region decreases MAP, neural mechanisms compensate to return MAP to hypertensive levels.

The pharmacokinetic properties of yohimbine in the conscious rat.

We used high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection to measure the concentration of yohimbine in serum and brain of conscious Sprague-Dawley rats at various times after the i.v. injection of 1 mg/kg of yohimbine. The serum concentration-time profile of yohimbine was biphasic with a rapid distribution phase (t1/2 alpha = 0.048 h) followed by a very slow elimination phase t1/2 beta = 16.3 h). The clearance of yohimbine was 11 ml/h.kg-1, and the volume of distribution was 259 ml/kg. Increasing doses (0.3, 1 and 3 mg/kg, i.v.) of yohimbine produced non-linear increases in serum yohimbine concentration. Yohimbine entered the brain rapidly (5,000 ng/g at 5 min after 1 mg/kg, i.v.) and disappeared from brain with a t1/2 beta of 7.7 h. In contrast to serum yohimbine concentration, increasing doses of yohimbine (0.3, 1 and 3 mg/kg) produced linear increases in brain yohimbine concentration, a phenomenon which is consistent with concentration-dependent binding of yohimbine to plasma proteins. The rapid entry of yohimbine into the brain, the slow rate of elimination of yohimbine from serum and brain and the linear relationship of brain yohimbine concentration as a function of dose should be taken into consideration whenever yohimbine is to be used as a probe of alpha 2-adrenoceptor function in vivo.