title: Ang II and Ang IV: unraveling the mechanism of action on synaptic plasticity, memory, and epilepsy.
abstract: The central angiotensin system plays a crucial role in cardiovascular regulation. More recently, angiotensin peptides have been implicated in stress, anxiety, depression, cognition, and epilepsy. Angiotensin II (Ang II) exerts its actions through AT(1) and AT(2) receptors, while most actions of its metabolite Ang IV were believed to be independent of AT(1) or AT(2) receptor activation. A specific binding site with high affinity for Ang IV was discovered and denominated "AT(4) receptor". The beneficiary effects of AT(4) ligands in animal models for cognitive impairment and epileptic seizures initiated the search for their mechanism of action. This proved to be a challenging task, and after 20 years of research, the nature of the "AT(4) receptor" remains controversial. Insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP) was first identified as the high-affinity binding site for AT(4) ligands. Recently, the hepatocyte growth factor receptor c-MET was also proposed as a receptor for AT(4) ligands. The present review focuses on the effects of Ang II and Ang IV on synaptic transmission and plasticity, learning, memory, and epileptic seizure activity. Possible interactions of Ang IV with the classical AT(1) and AT(2) receptor subtypes are evaluated, and other potential mechanisms by which AT(4) ligands may exert their effects are discussed. Identification of these mechanisms may provide a valuable target in the development in novel drugs for the treatment of cognitive disorders and epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Research Group Experimental Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Bundel
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Smolders
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vanderheyden
authors.forename: Yvette
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Michotte
mesh_terms: D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001665:Binding Sites; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects*; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C090830:AT4 receptor; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin; D000804:Angiotensin II; C012877:angiotensin II, des-Asp(1)-des-Arg(2)-Ile(5)-