Regulation of nonclassical renin-angiotensin system receptor gene expression in the adrenal medulla by acute and repeated immobilization stress

2015 ◽  
Vol 308 (6) ◽  
pp. R517-R529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina Nostramo ◽  
Lidia Serova ◽  
Marcela Laukova ◽  
Andrej Tillinger ◽  
Chandana Peddu ◽  
...  

The involvement of the nonclassical renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the adrenomedullary response to stress is unclear. Therefore, we examined basal and immobilization stress (IMO)-triggered changes in gene expression of the classical and nonclassical RAS receptors in the rat adrenal medulla, specifically the angiotensin II type 2 (AT2) and type 4 (AT4) receptors, (pro)renin receptor [(P)RR], and Mas receptor (MasR). All RAS receptors were identified, with AT2 receptor mRNA levels being the most abundant, followed by the (P)RR, AT1A receptor, AT4 receptor, and MasR. Following a single IMO, AT2 and AT4 receptor mRNA levels decreased by 90 and 50%, respectively. Their mRNA levels were also transiently decreased by repeated IMO. MasR mRNA levels displayed a 75% transient decrease as well. Conversely, (P)RR mRNA levels were increased by 50% following single or repeated IMO. Because of its abundance, the function of the (P)RR was explored in PC-12 cells. Prorenin activation of the (P)RR increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and tyrosine hydroxylase at Ser31, likely increasing its enzymatic activity and catecholamine biosynthesis. Together, the broad and dynamic changes in gene expression of the nonclassical RAS receptors implicate their role in the intricate response of the adrenomedullary catecholaminergic system to stress.

2012 ◽  
Vol 215 (2) ◽  
pp. 291-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina Nostramo ◽  
Andrej Tillinger ◽  
Juan M Saavedra ◽  
Ashok Kumar ◽  
Varunkumar Pandey ◽  
...  

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 (AT1A) and type 2 (AT2) receptors in rat adrenal medulla in response to immobilization stress (IMO). AT2 receptor mRNA levels decreased immediately after a single 2-h IMO. Repeated IMO also decreased AT2 receptor mRNA levels, but the decline was more transient. AT1A 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 (AT1 receptor antagonist) or with CGP42112 (AT2 receptor agonist) treatment. Involvement of stress-triggered activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical or sympathoadrenal axis in AT2 receptor downregulation was examined. Cultured cells treated with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone displayed a transcriptionally mediated decrease in AT2 receptor mRNA levels. However, glucocorticoids are not required for the immediate stress-triggered decrease in AT2 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 AT2 receptor gene expression and may mediate this response. Overall, the effects of stress on adrenomedullary AT1A and AT2 receptor expression may contribute to allostatic changes, such as regulation of catecholamine biosynthesis.


Endocrinology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 154 (10) ◽  
pp. 3729-3738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina Nostramo ◽  
Andrej Tillinger ◽  
Lidia Serova ◽  
Richard Kvetnansky ◽  
Esther L. Sabban

Bradykinin, acting via the bradykinin B2 receptor (B2R), is a potent stimulator of adrenomedullary catecholamine biosynthesis and release and likely plays an important role in the adrenomedullary stress response. However, the effects of stress on the expression of this receptor in the adrenal medulla are currently unclear. Here, we examined the changes in adrenomedullary B2R gene expression in male rats in response to single (1 time) and repeated (6 times) exposure to 2 hours immobilization stress (IMO). Immediately after 1 or 6 times IMO, B2R mRNA levels were increased by 9-fold and 7-fold, respectively, and returned to unstressed control levels 3 hours later. This large, but transient, increase in mRNA elicited a doubling of protein levels 3 hours after the stress exposure. Next, the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis in the stress-induced upregulation of B2R gene expression was examined. Treatment with endogenous (corticosterone) and synthetic (dexamethasone) glucocorticoids dose-dependently increased B2R mRNA levels in adrenomedullary-derived PC12 cells. Furthermore, cortisol supplementation at levels mimicking stress exposure elevated B2R mRNA levels in the adrenal medulla of hypophysectomized rats. In response to 1 exposure to IMO, the stress-triggered rise in plasma corticosterone and adrenomedullary B2R mRNA levels was attenuated in CRH-knockout mice and absent in pharmacologically adrenalectomized rats, indicating a requirement for glucocorticoids in the upregulation of B2R gene expression with stress. Overall, the increase in B2R gene expression in response to the stress-triggered rise in glucocorticoids likely enhances catecholamine biosynthesis and release and may serve as an adaptive response of the adrenomedullary catecholaminergic system to stress.


2001 ◽  
Vol 281 (5) ◽  
pp. F795-F801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor V. Yosipiv ◽  
Susana Dipp ◽  
Samir S. El-Dahr

First published July 12, 2001; 10.1152/ajprenal.0020.2001.—Angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor knockout (KO) mice exhibit an activated kallikrein-kinin system (KKS) that serves to attenuate the severity of the renal vascular phenotype in these mice (Tsuchida S, Miyazaki Y, Matsusaka T, Hunley TE, Inagami T, Fogo A, and Ichikawa I, Kidney Int 56: 509–516, 1999). Conversely, gestational high salt suppresses the fetal renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and provokes aberrant renal development in bradykinin B2-KO mice (El-Dahr SS, Harrison-Bernard LM, Dipp S, Yosipiv IV, and Meleg-Smith S, Physiol Genomics 3: 121–131, 2000). Thus the cross talk between the RAS and KKS may be critical for normal renal maturation. To further define the developmental interactions between the KKS and RAS, we examined the consequences of B2 receptor gene ablation on the expression of RAS components. Renal renin mRNA levels are 50% lower in newborn B2-KO than wild-type (WT) mice. Also, the age-related decline in renin mRNA is greater in B2-KO than WT mice (3.5- vs. 2-fold, P < 0.05). Although renal angiotensinogen (Ao) protein levels are higher in newborn B2-KO than WT mice, Ao mRNA levels are not, suggesting accumulation of Ao as a result of decreased renin-mediated cleavage. Similar age-related increases (8-fold) in angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) activity are observed in B2-KO and WT mice. Renal AT1 protein levels are not different in B2-KO and WT mice. Furthermore, the developmental increases in renal kallikrein mRNA and enzymatic activity are more pronounced in B2-KO compared with WT mice (mRNA: 8- vs. 3-fold; activity: 13- vs. 6-fold, P < 0.05). We conclude that 1) bradykinin stimulates renin gene expression, 2) renal kallikrein is regulated via a negative feedback loop involving the B2 receptor, and 3) Ao, ACE, and AT1 are not bradykinin-target genes.


2005 ◽  
Vol 288 (6) ◽  
pp. H2637-H2646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiming Shao ◽  
Bin Ren ◽  
Vijayan Elimban ◽  
Paramjit S. Tappia ◽  
Nobuakira Takeda ◽  
...  

The activities of both sarcolemmal (SL) Na+-K+-ATPase and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, which maintain the intracellular cation homeostasis, have been shown to be depressed in heart failure due to myocardial infarction (MI). Because the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is activated in heart failure, this study tested the hypothesis that attenuation of cardiac SL changes in congestive heart failure (CHF) by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors is associated with prevention of alterations in gene expression for SL Na+-K+-ATPase and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger. CHF in rats due to MI was induced by occluding the coronary artery, and 3 wk later the animals were treated with an ACE inhibitor, imidapril (1 mg·kg−1·day−1), for 4 wk. Heart dysfunction and cardiac hypertrophy in the infarcted animals were associated with depressed SL Na+-K+-ATPase and Na+/Ca2+ exchange activities. Protein content and mRNA levels for Na+/Ca2+ exchanger as well as Na+-K+-ATPase α1-, α2- and β1-isoforms were depressed, whereas those for α3-isoform were increased in the failing heart. These changes in SL activities, protein content, and gene expression were attenuated by treating the infarcted animals with imidapril. The beneficial effects of imidapril treatment on heart function and cardiac hypertrophy as well as SL Na+-K+-ATPase and Na+/Ca2+ exchange activities in the infarcted animals were simulated by enalapril, an ACE inhibitor, and losartan, an angiotensin receptor antagonist. These results suggest that blockade of RAS in CHF improves SL Na+-K+-ATPase and Na+/Ca2+ exchange activities in the failing heart by preventing changes in gene expression for SL proteins.


1989 ◽  
Vol 77 (6) ◽  
pp. 629-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nilesh J. Samani ◽  
John D. Swales ◽  
William J. Brammar

1. Renin messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were compared in the kidneys, livers, brains, adrenals, aortae and hearts of spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar—Kyoto (WKY) rats at 5 and 12 weeks of age using a ribonuclease-protection technique 2. Relative levels of renin mRNA were increased in the kidney, liver, brain, adrenal and heart of the young SHR compared with the WKY. In the aorta, levels were similar in the two strains at 5 weeks 3. In 12-week-old animals, while increased levels persisted in the liver, brain and adrenal of the SHR, the level in the kidney was now the same in the two strains and the levels in the heart and aorta were lower in the SHR compared with the WKY 4. Renin mRNA levels in the kidneys of SHR and WKY were also compared by Northern blotting and confirmed the observations made with the ribonuclease-protection technique 5. The findings indicate a widespread abnormality of renin gene expression in the SHR which is modulated in some tissues by the development of hypertension 6. While the mechanism(s) for the abnormality remains to be determined, the increased renin mRNA levels in the SHR in several tissues concerned with blood pressure regulation suggests an important role for the renin-angiotensin system in the development and maintenance of hypertension 7. However, the finding of increased renin mRNA in the liver also suggests abnormalities in other, as yet unknown, functions of the renin—angiotensin system in the SHR.


2017 ◽  
Vol 312 (5) ◽  
pp. H968-H979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neeru M. Sharma ◽  
Shyam S. Nandi ◽  
Hong Zheng ◽  
Paras K. Mishra ◽  
Kaushik P. Patel

An activated renin-angiotensin system (RAS) within the central nervous system has been implicated in sympathoexcitation during various disease conditions including congestive heart failure (CHF). In particular, activation of the RAS in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus has been recognized to augment sympathoexcitation in CHF. We observed a 2.6-fold increase in angiotensinogen (AGT) in the PVN of CHF. To elucidate the molecular mechanism for increased expression of AGT, we performed in silico analysis of the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of AGT and found a potential binding site for microRNA (miR)-133a. We hypothesized that decreased miR-133a might contribute to increased AGT in the PVN of CHF rats. Overexpression of miR-133a in NG108 cells resulted in 1.4- and 1.5-fold decreases in AGT and angiotensin type II (ANG II) type 1 receptor (AT1R) mRNA levels, respectively. A luciferase reporter assay performed on NG108 cells confirmed miR-133a binding to the 3′-UTR of AGT. Consistent with these in vitro data, we observed a 1.9-fold decrease in miR-133a expression with a concomitant increase in AGT and AT1R expression within the PVN of CHF rats. Furthermore, restoring the levels of miR-133a within the PVN of CHF rats with viral transduction resulted in a significant reduction of AGT (1.4-fold) and AT1R (1.5-fold) levels with a concomitant decrease in basal renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA). Restoration of miR-133a also abrogated the enhanced RSNA responses to microinjected ANG II within the PVN of CHF rats. These results reveal a novel and potentially unique role for miR-133a in the regulation of ANG II within the PVN of CHF rats, which may potentially contribute to the commonly observed sympathoexcitation in CHF. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Angiotensinogen (AGT) expression is upregulated in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus through posttranscriptional mechanism interceded by microRNA-133a in heart failure. Understanding the mechanism of increased expression of AGT in pathological conditions leading to increased sympathoexcitation may provide the basis for the possible development of new therapeutic agents with enhanced specificity.


Endocrinology ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 140 (5) ◽  
pp. 2110-2116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roni Mamluk ◽  
Nitzan Levy ◽  
Bo Rueda ◽  
John S. Davis ◽  
Rina Meidan

Abstract Our previous studies demonstrated that endothelin-1 (ET-1), a 21-amino acid vasoconstrictor peptide, has a paracrine regulatory role in bovine corpus luteum (CL). The peptide is produced within the gland where it inhibits progesterone production by acting via the selective type A endothelin (ETA) receptors. The present study was designed to characterize ETA receptor gene expression in different ovarian cell types and its hormonal regulation. ETA receptor messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were high in follicular cells as well as in CL during luteal regression. At this latter stage, high ETA receptor expression concurred with low prostaglandin F2α receptor mRNA. The ETA receptor gene was expressed by all three major cell populations of the bovine CL; i.e. small and large luteal cells, as well as in luteal endothelial cells. Among these various cell populations, the highest ETA receptor mRNA levels were found in endothelial cells. cAMP elevating agents, forskolin and LH, suppressed ETA receptor mRNA expression in luteinized theca cells (LTC). This inhibition was dose dependent and was evident already after 24 h of incubation. In luteinized granulosa cells (LGC), 10 and 100 ng/ml of insulin-like growth factor I and insulin (only at a concentration of 2000 ng/ml) markedly decreased ETA receptor mRNA levels. In both LGC and LTC there was an inverse relationship between ETA receptor gene expression and progesterone production; insulin (in LGC) and forskolin (in LTC) enhanced progesterone production while inhibiting ETA receptor mRNA levels. Our findings may therefore suggest that, during early stages of luteinization when peak levels of both LH and insulin-like growth factor I exist, the expression of ETA receptors in the gland are suppressed. This study demonstrates physiologically relevant regulatory mechanisms controlling ETA receptor gene expression and further supports the inhibitory role of ET-1 in CL function.


Endocrinology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 148 (5) ◽  
pp. 2453-2457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shigeyuki Wakahara ◽  
Tadashi Konoshita ◽  
Shinichi Mizuno ◽  
Makoto Motomura ◽  
Chikako Aoyama ◽  
...  

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) 2, a newly emerging component of the renin-angiotensin system, is presumed to be a counterregulator against ACE in generating and degrading angiotensin II. It remains to be elucidated how mRNA levels of these two genes are quantitatively regulated in the kidney and also what kind of clinicopathological characteristics could influence the gene expressions in humans. Seventy-eight cases of biopsy-proven renal conditions were examined in detail. Total RNA from a small part of each renal cortical biopsy specimen was reverse transcribed, and the resultant cDNA was amplified for ACE, ACE2, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase with a real-time PCR system. Then we investigated the relationship between clinicopathological variables and mRNA levels adjusted for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Statistically significant correlation was not observed between any clinicopathological variables and either of the gene expressions by pairwise comparison. However, a strong correlation was observed between the gene expressions of ACE and those of ACE2. Moreover, the ACE to ACE2 ratio was significantly higher in subjects with hypertension (HT) than that in subjects without HT. Whereas parameters of renal function, e.g. urinary protein excretion (UPE) and creatinine clearance (Ccr), are not significantly related to the ACE to ACE2 ratio as a whole, the HT status may reflect disease-induced deterioration of renal function. That is, UPE and Ccr of subjects with HT are significantly different from those without HT, in which a significant correlation is also observed between UPE and Ccr. Finally, stepwise regression analysis further revealed that only the HT status is an independent confounding determinant of the ACE to ACE2 ratio among the variables tested. Our data suggest that ACE2 might play an important role in maintaining a balanced status of local renin-angiotensin system synergistically with ACE by counterregulatory effects confounded by the presence of hypertension. Thus, ACE2 may exert pivotal effects on cardiovascular and renal conditions.


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