The kidney is an important target organ for angiotensin II. The diverse biologic effects of angiotensin II in the kidney and periphery suggest that angiotensin II may be interacting with more than one receptor. Recently, the synthesis of highly selective nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonists and the expression cloning of the angiotensin receptor have unequivocally demonstrated the exis...

We studied the distribution of angiotensin II (AII) receptors type 1 (AT1) and type 2 (AT2) and the effects of a low sodium intake on these two subtypes of receptors in male rat adrenals. Binding studies on adrenal slices, on cell membranes and on cell suspensions were performed using [125I]AII and specific analogs for AT1 (Losartan) and AT2 (PD 123319) receptors. The distribution of AT1 was al...

Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides have been designed to inhibit the production of specific proteins. In models of hypertension, we have targeted the renin-angiotensin system at the level of synthesis (angiotensinogen) and the receptor (AT1 receptor). The design of antisense oligonucleotides requires choosing a site to inhibit mRNA processig or translation. The strategy we use is to make three oli...

Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) is an important determinant of cardiac function. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and angiotensin (Ang) II levels increase after MI and both factors affect fibroblast functions. The type 1 (AT1) receptor that mediates most Ang II effects is upregulated after MI in cardiac fibroblasts, and there is evidence that this i...

Recent studies have shown that proteoglycans play an important role in the development of vascular disease and renal failure. In this study, the effects of angiotensin II (AngII) type 1 (AT1) and type 2 (AT2) receptor stimulation on glycosaminoglycan and proteoglycan core protein synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) were examined. Treatment of AT1 receptor-expressing VSMC with AngII...

The metabolic syndrome is associated with activation of the renin-angiotensin system. However, whether the coronary vascular response to ANG II is altered under this condition is unknown. Experiments were conducted in control and chronically high-fat-fed dogs with the prediabetic metabolic syndrome both in vitro (isolated coronary arterioles, 60-110 microm) and in vivo (anesthetized and conscio...

finding of elevated leptin levels in cardiac failure patients stage NYHA II or III is supported by Filippatos et al. and others. From their data, however, it appears that leptin levels tend to decrease in cachectic patients with more advanced stages of the disease, which has only recently been confirmed by others. This does not necessarily contradict our observations. The patients reported in o...

The aim of this study was to clarify the differences between the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor antagonist and the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor on smooth muscle and nonmuscle myosin heavy chain isoforms in aortic smooth muscle cells of Wistar-Kyoto rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats. All 4 myosin heavy chain isoforms are heterogeneously expressed in the smooth muscl...

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) agonists are commonly used to treat cardiovascular diseases, and are reported to have several effects on cardiovascular function that may be due to PPAR gamma-independent signaling events. Select angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) interact with and modulate PPAR gamma activity, thus we hypothesized that a PPAR gamma agonist may exe...