Cigarette smoke increases gastric ulcer size in part by an angiotensin II-mediated mechanism in rats.

To assess the mechanism of the effect of cigarette smoke on ulcer disease we employed a rat model in which cigarette smoke increases the size of acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer and decreases the hyperemia at the ulcer margin. We postulate that cigarette smoke increases angiotensin II (a vasoconstrictor) in ulcer tissue. Since direct measurement of angiotensin II in small tissue samples is problematic, we compared the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for its precursors (angiotensinogen and renin) in ulcer and normal gastric tissue. We also evaluated the effect of enalapril, which blocks the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II on ulcer size. In the ulcer tissue, cigarette smoke produced a significant increase in mRNA for angiotensinogen but not for renin. Enalapril decreased the size of the gastric ulcer in rats exposed to cigarette smoke. The data support the possibility that in ulcer tissue cigarette smoke stimulates an angiotensin II-mediated mechanism, which may in part be responsible for the impairment of ulcer margin hyperemia and aggravation of ulcer size.

Hepatic angiotensin II nuclear receptors and transcription of growth-related factors.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the influence of angiotensin II (All) receptors in isolated hepatic nuclei on other genes regulated by All and to determine whether the function of these intracellular receptors is influenced by alterations in the endocrine renin system. METHODS: Nuclei were isolated from hepatic tissue of normal and bilaterally nephrectomized or adrenalectomized Wistar rats. Following nuclear run-off, in the presence of varying All concentrations, specific messenger RNAs (mRNA) were determined by slot blot hybridization. Tissue levels of renin system components were measured by radioimmunoassay and nuclear receptors characterized by displacement of radiolabeled All with specific All receptor antagonists. RESULTS: All binding in the presence of DUP 753 and PD 123177 confirmed that nuclear All receptors can be classified as AT1 receptors and that as much as 10% of the specific binding is attributable to nuclear chromatin. All stimulated not only the production of mRNA for renin system components such as renin and angiotensinogen, but also that of mRNA for growth-related factors such as platelet-derived growth factor and the oncogene c-myc. Maximal stimulation occurred at 10(-9) mol/l All; higher concentrations reduced this response. After stimulation or suppression of the plasma renin system by adrenalectomy or bilateral nephrectomy, nuclei isolated from rat hepatic tissue contained elevated endogenous levels of growth-related and renin system mRNA including AT1 and AT2 All receptors. However, despite the level of receptor mRNA having been elevated, the total All receptor density of isolated nuclei decreased. In addition, after both maneuvers, isolated nuclei were refractory to All-induced gene transcription. CONCLUSION: The existence of mechanisms producing intracellular All and regulating its level, which in turn exert local regulatory responses via nuclear All receptors, lends significance to the presence of a functional intracrine renin system that could act in concert with or independently of the endocrine renin system.

Effects of trypsin on the measurement of inactive renin in rat plasma by radio-immunoassay: decrease in inactive renin following nephrectomy.

We have examined the effect of trypsin treatment of rat plasma on the rate of angiotensin (Ang) I generation and measurement of this peptide by radio-immunoassay. Trypsin increased the renin incubation blank but did not alter the kinetics of the renin reaction with exogenous renin. The quantity of immunoreactive material detected in trypsin-treated plasma was not proportional to the volume of plasma assayed. Consequently, the level of inactive renin was dependent upon the volume of plasma subjected to the assay. This discrepancy occurred with two independent radio-immunoassay systems. The rate of Ang I generation was linear and significantly elevated following the addition of renin substrate to trypsin-treated plasma. However, if trypsin degradation of endogenous renin substrate was extensive and additional renin substrate was not provided, non-linear rates of Ang I generation occurred. Multiple additions of trypsin were necessary to activate maximally inactive rat plasma renin. Inactive renin accounted for 79 +/- 2% of the total enzyme activity in normal rats. Although active renin declined following bilateral nephrectomy, the ratio of active to inactive renin did not change. The data suggest that the kidney is the primary source of inactive renin in the normal rat.

Stimulation of brain and aortic renin substrate by central administration of steroids in the rat.

The influence of central and peripheral injections of dexamethasone and 17 beta-oestradiol on plasma, brain and aortic renin substrate was studied in the rat. Whereas intraperitoneal or intravenous injection of these steroids raised renin substrate in plasma, brain and the aorta, intraventricular injection raised it only in the brain and aorta. Bilateral nephrectomy produced results equivalent to those observed following intraperitoneal administration of steroids. Dissociation of the plasma and tissue renin-substrate levels in response to central administration of steroids indicates local synthesis of this protein, possibly under central control.

Interaction of prostaglandin E2 and beta-adrenergic catecholamines in the regulation of uterine smooth muscle motility and adenylate cyclase in the rat.

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) increased the force of the spontaneous contractions of the rat myometrium and decreased the sensitivity of the uterus to the relaxing effects of the specific beta-adrenergic catecholamine agonist isoprenaline. Prostaglandin E2, at concentrations above 10 mumol/l, increased cyclic AMP production by intact muscle strips. The muscle strips were far more sensitive, however, to the inhibitory effect PGE2 had on isoprenaline-dependent cyclic AMP production (threshold less than 0.001 nmol/l). Both PGE2 and isoprenaline stimulated adenylate cyclase activity of a myometrial subcellular (particulate) fraction in a guanyl nucleotide-requiring manner. When present in saturating concentrations (100 mumol/l), the stimulatory effects were not additive, suggesting that the receptors for the two agonists competed for the same catalytic subunit of adenylate cyclase or for the same guanyl nucleotide-requiring factor which couples receptors and enzyme. If muscle strips were incubated with PGE2 before the preparation of the adenylate cyclase-containing particulate fraction, the enzyme became less responsive to stimulation by guanyl nucleotide and by isoprenaline and PGE2 in the presence of guanyl nucleotide. The PGE2 receptor may therefore interact with the beta-adrenoreceptor to inhibit isoprenaline-dependent cyclic AMP production by intact muscle cells by desensitizing adenylate cyclase, possibly at the level of the guanyl nucleotide-dependent coupling step.

Heterogeneity of renin substrate released from hepatocytes and in brain extracts.

Renin substrate was characterized in incubation medium of isolated hepatocytes, plasma, and brain extracts of the rat by isoelectric focusing and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The isoelectric focusing (IEF) profile of renin substrate released into incubation medium of rat hepatocytes demonstrated two peaks with isoelectric points (pI) of 4.1 (minor peak) and 4.6 (major peak). Extracts of normal rat brain also showed two forms (pI 4.6 major form, and pI 5.1 minor form). In contrast, normal rat plasma contained a single broad peak of substrate with pI 4.5. On polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), the hepatocytes medium and brain extracts contained forms of substrate with reduced mobility as compared to the plasma form. Intraperitoneal injection of 17 beta estradiol (1 mg) or bilateral nephrectomy significantly elevated renin substrate levels in plasma and increased its release from hepatocytes, however, no change in the IEF or PAGE profiles was evident. There was no remarkable change of substrate concentration in the brain following these treatments. Molecular weights of renin substrate were 60,000-65,000 from all preparations. It remains to be established whether the different forms of renin substrate from hepatocytes represent precursor forms of circulating plasma substrate. The presence of distinct forms of brain renin substrate and the lack of an increase in brain renin substrate following nephrectomy or estrogen treatment suggest local synthesis and support the postulate of an independent renin-angiotensin system in the central nervous system.

The renin-angiotensin system in association with hyperreninaemic hypoaldosteronism in neoplasia induced hypercalcaemia.

The renin-angiotensin system was examined in Fischer rats at 7, 11 and 14 days after Leydig cell tumour transplantation, and in age matched controls. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), active plasma renin and serum calcium were higher (P less than 0.01) in the tumour transplant rats than in the controls at 11 days after transplantation. There was a positive correlation of both active renin and MAP with serum calcium at this time. Although inactive renin levels were elevated in the tumour transplanted rats, the ratio of inactive to active renin was decreased in comparison to controls. Plasma norepinephrine, active renin and plasma angiotensin II were higher in tumour rats at 14 days. Nevertheless, basal levels of aldosterone and MAP as well as aldosterone responses to graded infusion of angiotensin II, ACTH and KCl were decreased in the tumour rats at 14 days. Moderate hypercalcaemia (day 7 and 11), induced by Leydig cell transplantation in the Fischer rat, is associated, therefore with elevated blood pressure which appears to be related, in part, to activation of the renin-angiotensin system. However, severe hypercalcaemia (day 14) was associated with hypotensive hyperreninaemic hypoaldosteronism state.

An increase in high-molecular weight renin substrate associated with estrogenic hypertension.

We have previously reported that estrogens have the potential to induce new forms of renin substrate in addition to elevating the major circulating form of this protein. One of these estrogen-induced forms had a molecular weight in excess of 150,000. In this study we have compared the plasma concentration of the high-molecular-weight renin substrate in normotensive women receiving estrogen therapy and women with estrogenic hypertension. A statistically significant elevation of this protein was associated with estrogenic hypertension and normotensive pregnant women at term. This form of renin substrate differed from the major form with respect to electrophoretic mobility, isoelectric point, and immunologic cross-reactivity. In addition, kinetic analysis indicated that this high-molecular-weight substrate has a significantly higher affinity for the enzyme renin than the major circulating form (Km = 1800 +/- 290 versus 3520 +/- 260 ng angiotensin I equivalents/ml). These results suggest that in addition to renin substrate concentration, substrate composition may play an important role in blood pressure regulation.

PIP: This study investigates whether qualitative rather than quantitative differences in renin substrate were associated with estrogen induction of hypertension by comparing the plasma concentration of high molecular weight renin substrate (HMS) in 18 healthy normotensive, nonpregnant women aged 35-50 taking no medication; 20 normotensive subjects receiving estrogens as oral contraceptives (OCs) or ethinyl estradiol (EE) 50 mcg; and 5 women on OCs or EE 50 mcg who became hypertensive on estrogen therapy. A significant increase in renin substrate was evident in all women with elevated plasma estrogen levels. The difference in total renin substrate levels of normotensive and hypertensive subjects was not statistically significant. HMS differed from the normal molecular weight substrate (NMS) in electrophoretic mobility, isoelectric point, and immunologic cross-reactivity. Kinetic analysis indicated that it also had a significantly higher affinity for the enzyme renin than the major circulating form (Km=1800 +or- 290 versus 3520 +or- 260 ng angiotensin I equivalents/ml). The results suggest that substrate composition may play an important role in blood pressure regulation.

Hormonal changes associated with hypertension in neoplasia-induced hypercalcemia.

Neoplasia-induced hypercalcemia in the Fischer rat results in hypertension 1 wk after Leydig cell tumor transplantation. Systolic blood pressure, plasma catecholamine, prolactin, plasma renin activity (PRA), and aldosterone responses to immobilization stress were evaluated in Fischer rats 10 days after tumor transplantation and in age-matched nontransplanted controls. Basal systolic blood pressure, norepinephrine, and PRA levels at 10 days after tumor transplantation were higher in association with elevated calcium levels in tumor-transplanted rats than in controls. Systolic pressure, norepinephrine, and epinephrine responses to immobilization stress were greater in the hypercalcemia 10-day transplanted rats. Although basal levels of prolactin and aldosterone were similar in the two groups. These observations suggest that elevated levels of the vasoactive hormones norepinephrine and angiotensin may play a pivotal role in development of hypertension in association with neoplasia-induced hypercalcemia. Further, neoplasia-induced hypercalcemia in the Fischer rat is associated with a relative hyperreninemic hypoaldosteronism state.

Multiple forms of human plasma renin substrate.

The objective of this investigation was to determine whether heterogeneity of plasma renin substrate could be observed in states of steroid excess and various forms of hypertensive disease. In states of stimulated renin substrate production by estrogens or glucocorticoids, multiple forms of renin substrate were apparent when stimulation was excessive. Stimulation of substrate production caused by uremia associated with hypertension showed similar results. None, or only trace quantities of the additional forms of renin substrate were evident in subjects with normal or suppressed levels of plasma renin substrate. The additional forms of renin substrate could be distinguished from the normal form on the basis of cross-reactivity with a specific antiserum to the normal form, electrophoretic mobility, and kinetic rate constants. Differences in rate constants of the various forms of plasma renin substrate may account for the altered rate of the renin reaction associated with several states of hypertension. In plasma of patients with renovascular hypertension, significant quantities of a protein which cross-reacted with the antiserum but could not generate angiotensin I were observed.