title: Angiotensin II type 2 receptor-mediated apoptosis of cultured neurons from newborn rat brain.
abstract: Angiotensin II (Ang II) type 2 (AT2) receptors are highly expressed in neonate brain and may have a role in developmental processes such as apoptosis. Concurrent activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and inhibition of Erk mitogen-activated protein kinase activities is important for apoptosis in many cells, and we previously demonstrated that stimulation of AT2 receptors causes decreased mitogen-activated protein kinase activity in neurons cultured from newborn rat hypothalamus and brain stem. Using such cultures we have employed terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxy-UTP nick end labeling and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation to assess the role of AT2 receptors in neuronal apoptosis. Ang II (100 nM; 4-72 h) alone produced no significant neuronal apoptosis, and AT2 receptor activation did not stimulate JNK activity. However, exposure of cultures to UV radiation (6 J/m2/sec for 4 sec) to stimulate JNK elicited neuronal apoptosis that was significantly enhanced by Ang II, an effect that was abolished by the AT2 receptor antagonist PD 123,319 (1 microM) or the serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid (3 nM). Additionally, Ang II enhanced the UV radiation-induced decrease in the levels of the DNA repair enzyme poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase. These data indicate that Ang II, via AT2 receptors and activation of a serine/threonine phosphatase, contributes to neuronal apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine and the University of Florida Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610, USA.
authors.forename: U V
authors.initials: UV
authors.lastname: Shenoy
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: X C
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sumners
mesh_terms: D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D051379:Mice; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D044139:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin / Q000502:physiology*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D044139:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin; D000804:Angiotensin II; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases