Angiotensin II increases the release of endothelin-1 from human cultured endothelial cells but does not regulate its circulating levels.
We investigated the effect of angiotensin II on endothelin-1 secretion in vitro and in vivo. In vivo, angiotensin II was given intravenously to 23 essential hypertensive and 8 control subjects according to different protocols: Study A, 1.0 ng x min-1 x kg-1 and 3.0 ng x min-1 x kg-1 angiotensin II for 30 min each; Study B, 1.0 ng x min-1 x kg-1 and 3.0 ng x min-1 x kg-1 angiotensin II for 120 min each; Study C, 3.0 ng x min-1 x kg-1 angiotensin II for 30 min followed by a dose increment of 3.0 ng x min-1 x kg-1 every 30 min until mean blood pressure levels increased by 25 mmHg; Study D, 1.0 ng x min-1 x kg-1 followed by 3.0 ng x min-1 x kg-1 angiotensin II for 60 min each on two different NaCl diets (either 20 mmol NaCl/day or 220 mmol NaCl/day, both for 1 week). In all in vivo studies neither plasma nor urine endothelin-1 levels changed with angiotensin II infusion. In contrast, angiotensin II (10(-9), 10(-8), 10(-7) mol/l) stimulated endothelin-1 secretion from cultured human vascular endothelial cells derived from umbilical cord veins in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The in vitro angiotensin II effects were abolished by candesartan cilexetil, an inhibitor of the membrane-bound AT1 receptor, and also by actinomycin D, an RNA synthesis inhibitor, and cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, indicating that endothelin-1 release depended on AT1 receptor subtype and de novo protein synthesis. Our findings indicate that angiotensin II regulates endothelin-1 release by cultured endothelial cells through an AT1 receptor-dependent pathway, but does not influence circulating endothelin-1 levels in vivo.
University of Rome 'La Sapienza', Andrea Cesalpino Foundation, Rome 00161, Italy.
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C
Ferri
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Desideri
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Baldoncini
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Bellini
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Valenti
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Santucci
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De Mattia
D000328:Adult; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin / Q000502:physiology
D019332:Endothelin-1; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin; D000804:Angiotensin II