title: Angiotensin receptors in the brain.
abstract: Angiotensin receptors have recently become a focus of scientific interest due to the recent development of specific receptor ligands which allow to distinguish between various angiotensin II receptor subtypes, notably the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) and angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2). Although both receptors belong to the seven transmembrane domain receptor family they feature less than 35% homology and differ in their signal transduction mechanisms and in the effects mediated. In the brain, both angiotensin receptor types and probably some further subtypes are present and have been localized in distinct regions. In the adult brain, the AT1 receptor dominates by far and is responsible for most of the known central actions of angiotensin peptides, for example blood pressure increase, release of vasopressin from the pituitary gland, natriuresis, drinking and induction of immediate early genes in distinct brain areas. Some of the AT1 receptor-mediated effects have been shown to be enhanced by blockade of AT2 receptors in the brain suggesting that the central AT2 receptor can exert an inhibitory control on AT1 receptor-mediated actions in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Höhle
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blume
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lebrun
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Culman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Unger
mesh_terms: D000809:Angiotensins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019808:Losartan; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000502:physiology; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000809:Angiotensins; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D007093:Imidazoles; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin; D013777:Tetrazoles; D019808:Losartan