title: Vascular relaxation, antihypertensive effect, and cardioprotection of a novel peptide agonist of the MAS receptor.
abstract: Mas stimulation with angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) produces cardioprotective effects and vasorelaxation. Using a computational discovery platform for predicting novel naturally occurring peptides that may activate G protein-coupled receptors, we discovered a novel Mas agonist peptide, CGEN-856S. An endothelium- and NO-dependent vasodilating effect was observed for CGEN-856S in thoracic aorta rings of rats (maximal value for the relaxant effect: 39.99+/-5.034%), which was similar to that produced by Ang-(1-7) (10(-10) to 10(-6) mol/L). In addition, the vasodilator activity of this peptide depended on a functional Mas receptor, because it was abolished in aorta rings of Mas-knockout mice. CGEN-856S appears to bind the Mas receptor at the same binding domain as Ang-(1-7), as suggested by the blocking of its vasorelaxant effect with the Ang-(1-7) analogue d-Ala(7)-Ang-(1-7), and by its competitive inhibition of Ang-(1-7) binding to Mas-transfected cells. The effect of CGEN-856S on reperfusion arrhythmias and cardiac function was studied on ischemia reperfusion of isolated rat hearts. We found that picomolar concentration of CGEN-856S (0.04 nmol/L) had an antiarrhythmogenic effect, as demonstrated by a reduction in the incidence and duration of reperfusion arrhythmias. Furthermore, acute infusion of CGEN-856S produced a shallow dose-dependent decrease in mean arterial pressure of conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats. The maximum change during infusion was observed at the highest dose. Strikingly, blood pressure continued to drop in the postinfusion period. The results presented here indicate that the novel Mas agonist, CGEN-856S, might have a therapeutic value, because it induces vasorelaxing, antihypertensive, and cardioprotective effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Nanobiofarmacêutica, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvia Quintão
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Savergnini
authors.forename: Merav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beiman
authors.forename: Roberto Queiroga
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Lautner
authors.forename: Vanice
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Paula-Carvalho
authors.forename: Kyan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Allahdadi
authors.forename: Dalton Caires
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Pessoa
authors.forename: Fabiana Pereira
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Costa-Fraga
authors.forename: Rodrigo Araújo
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Fraga-Silva
authors.forename: Gady
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cojocaru
authors.forename: Yossi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bader
authors.forename: Alvair Pinto
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Galit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rotman
authors.forename: Robson Augusto Souza
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000803:Angiotensin I / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D000803:Angiotensin I; C118790:angiotensin I (1-7)