Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.4.15.1 (ACE)
 18,300 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Smooth muscle cell proliferation and formation of extracellular matrix in the intima of muscular arteries after vascular injury can lead to severe intimal hyperplasia and stenosis. Cilazapril reduces intimal hyperplasia induced by balloon catheterization of the rat carotid artery by 80%, and significantly decreases the surface area covered by proliferative lesions. We investigated the effects of angiotensin II (A II) on SMC proliferation in cell culture and A-II induction of selected growth factor or growth-related genes in SMC in culture: PDGF A chain, TGF-beta, thrombospondin, c-myc and c-fos, and compared the influence of cilazapril on these responses to A II. A-II induced SMC proliferation, stimulated mRNAs for c-myc and c-fos after 30 min, and stimulated mRNAs for PDGF A chain, TGF-beta, and thrombospondin somewhat later. The ACE inhibitor did not have detectable independent effects on the A-II induced proliferation or gene expression. Thus, these data support the conclusion that cilazapril suppresses SMC proliferation in vivo through the block of conversion of A I to A II, and that A II has a critical and central role in the control of the proliferative response after balloon catheter-induced vascular injury.
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PMID:Cilazapril suppresses myointimal proliferation after vascular injury: effects on growth factor induction in vascular smooth muscle cells. 182 85

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system are major effector systems that serve to maintain homeostasis during exposure to stressors. In the past decade, interest in neurochemical regulation and in pathways controlling activation of the HPA axis has focused on catecholamines, which are present in high concentrations in specific brain areas--especially in the hypothalamus. The work described in this review has concentrated on the application of in vivo microdialysis in rat brain regions such as the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, the central nucleus of the amygdala (ACE), the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and the posterolateral hypothalamus in order to examine aspects of catecholaminergic function and relationships between altered catecholaminergic function and the HPA axis and sympathoadrenal system activation in stress. Exposure of animals to immobilization (IMMO) markedly and rapidly increases rates of synthesis, release, and metabolism of norepinephrine (NE) in all the brain areas mentioned above and supports previous suggestions that in the PVN NE stimulates release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). The role of NE in the ACE and the BNST and most other areas possessing noradrenergic innervation remains unclear. Studies involving lower brainstem hemisections show that noradrenergic terminals in the PVN are derived mainly from medullary catecholaminergic groups rather than from the locus ceruleus, which is the main source of NE in the brain. Moreover, the medullary catecholaminergic groups contribute substantially to IMMO-induced noradrenergic activation in the PVN. Data obtained from adrenalectomized rats, with or without glucocorticoid replacement, and from hypercortisolemic rats suggest that glucocorticoids feedback to inhibit CRH release in the PVN, via attenuation of noradrenergic activation. Results from rats exposed to different stressors have indicated substantial differences among stressors in eliciting PVN noradrenergic responses as well as of responses of the HPA, sympathoneural, and adrenomedullary systems. Finally, involvement of other areas that participate in the regulation of the HPA axis such as the ACE, the BNST, and the hippocampus and the importance of stress-induced changes in expression of immediate early genes such as c-fos are discussed.
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PMID:Stress-induced norepinephrine release in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and pituitary-adrenocortical and sympathoadrenal activity: in vivo microdialysis studies. 762 82

To explore the mechanisms by which angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) prevents the development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), captopril (Cap 100 mg.kg-1/d was administered orally to male spontaneously hypertensive rats from intrauterine period to 16 weeks of age. Male and age-matched untreated WKY rats and SHR were used as controls. Experiments were performed at 40 weeks of age. SBP, left ventricular weight to body weight ratio (LVW/BW), myocardial hydroxyproline (Hypro) and norepinephrine (NE) were determined. The levels of c-myc and c-fos mRNA in the left ventricle were measured by Northern blot. Early-onset Cap therapy significantly decreased SBP at 16 weeks of age. After discontinuance of treatment for 24 weeks, SBP of SHRcap was still maintained at a level lower than that of untreated SHR. LVW/BW and Hypro in SHR cap were markedly reduced. The expression of myocardial c-myc mRNA (n = 5) was decreased by 72% in SHRcap compared with that in the untreated SHR, but the expression of c-fos mRNA (n = 7) and NE was not different between the untreated SHR, SHRcap and WKY rats. These results indicate that early Cap treatment may permanently prevent the development of hypertension, inhibit myocardial hypertrophy (MH), and interstitial fibrosis. Furthermore, the prevention of MH is associated with a decrease in myocardial c-myc mRNA levels, and the development and regression of MH may be irrelevant to proto-oncogene c-fos expression.
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PMID:[Mechanism of inhibition in left ventricular hypertrophy by captopril treatment in spontaneously hypertensive rats]. 776 71

As a consequence of persistently raised blood pressure, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) develops as a compensatory mechanism for wall stress induced by the increase in afterload. Recent advances in the fields of molecular biology and genetics are now clarifying the mechanisms involved in the development of LVH. It has been reported that messenger RNA of oncogenes, such as c-fos and c-myc, increases by stretching; these oncogenes contribute to the progression of LVH, the messenger RNA expression of myosin and contractile protein synthesis in the cardiomyocytes. Vasoactive hormones and vascular contracting factors are also reported to have a progressive effect on LVH. In contrast, some antihypertensive agents have been shown to have pharmacological effects on regression of LVH in animals and man. The mechanisms responsible for LVH progression have been extensively studied. In contrast, the mechanisms of LVH regression have not been defined and require elucidation. This paper outlines the basic recognition of the mechanisms of LVH progression and discusses the varied pharmacological actions of calcium antagonists and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors on the regression of LVH in man and rats. Although the role of antihypertensive therapy in regression of LVH remains controversial, the calcium antagonist nicardipine appears to have an important role to play in the treatment of LVH in hypertension and in congestive heart failure.
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PMID:Therapeutic advances in the treatment of left ventricular hypertrophy. 837 Mar 75

Although rapid growth of the heart during early postnatal development ceases with maturation of the organism, the potential for cardiomyocyte growth is not lost and may be observed even in senescent hearts. Rapid developmental heart growth is accompanied by a proportional growth of capillaries but not always of larger vessels, and thus coronary vascular resistance gradually increases. Growth of adult hearts can be enhanced by thyroid hormones, catecholamines and the renin-angiotensin system hormones, but these do not always stimulate growth of coronary vessels. Likewise, chronic exposure to hypoxia leads to growth, mainly of the right ventricle and its vessels but without vascular growth elsewhere in the heart. On the other hand, ischaemia is a potent stimulus for the release of various growth factors involved in the development of collateral circulation. Heart hypertrophy develops in response to training, pressure or volume overload. Training usually leads to growth of larger coronary vessels but little growth of capillaries, except in young animals. However, growth of the capillary bed, but not the resistance vasculature capacity, can be induced by either increased coronary blood flow, bradycardia (electrically or pharmacologically induced) or increased inotropism, all of which are involved in the training stimulus. Thus, what actually promotes growth of larger vessels as opposed to capillaries in training is unclear. Pressure overload hypertrophy is mediated by both the renin-angiotensin system and the response of cardiomyocytes to stretch; both lead to activation of early oncogenes (c-fos, c-jun, c-myc) and angiotensin II activates several protein kinases involved in cell growth. In this condition, growth of larger vessels is inadequate, although some capillary growth may occur. Volume overload leads to cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia and some increase in vascular supply. Deficits in capillary supply in pressure or volume overload hypertrophy can be reversed by chronic administration of ACE inhibitors, dipyridamole, the bradycardic drug alinidine or pacing-induced bradycardia respectively, but in neither case is training effective. Mechanical and humoral factors are involved in growth of cardiomyocytes and vessels. For cardiomyocytes, stretch is most important, activating oncogenes, protein kinases and possibly the inositol phosphate pathway, but not ion channels, with regulation by the balance of angiotensin II, TGF-beta 1 and IGF-1, but not FGFs. For vessels, growth is stimulated by stretch and shear stress, possibly with involvement of VEGF. Increased shear stress disrupts the glycocalyx on the luminal side of vessels and releases plasminogen activator and metalloproteinases which disrupt the basement membrane and enable endothelial cell migration and proliferation. It also causes rearrangement of the endothelial cytoskeleton and transmission of mechanical signals to the abluminal side disturbing extracellular matrix and causing distortion of capillary basement membrane. Stretch acting from the abluminal side has a similar effect resulting also in basement membrane disruption and endothelial cell proliferation.
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PMID:Postnatal growth of the heart and its blood vessels. 869 52

In the present study the effect of pressure overload on the expression of protooncogene c-fos in the left ventricle was investigated in rats with abdominal aorta constriction. It was found that a remarkable expression of c-fos was induced by pressure overload and the expression was greatly attenuated by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril. In the pressure overload group the angiotensinogen mRNA level was found increased. The above results suggest that angiotensin II is involved in the expression of c-fos due to pressure overload.
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PMID:[Expression of c-fos mRNA induced by pressure overload in the left ventricle]. 875 93

Although it is well known that mechanical load to cardiac muscles causes cardiac hypertrophy, little is known about how mechanical load is transduced into the activation of intracellular signals which are linked to cell growth. We investigated whether the cardiac renin-angiotensin system was involved in stretch-induced hypertrophy of cultured neonatal rat heart myocytes. Myocytes were cultured with serum-free medium in a deformable silicon dish. Stretch of cardiac myocytes significantly increased the protein/DNA ratio at culture days 6 and 7, and the RNA/DNA ratio at culture days 4 and 5. Stretch significantly accelerated rates of protein synthesis by 15%. c-fos mRNA expression was significantly increased after stretch. The stimulatory effects of cell stretch on these parameters were significantly inhibited by the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril, or the type 1 angiotensin II receptor antagonist, losartan. The concentrations of angiotensin I and angiotensin II in culture media were significantly increased by stretch. Stretch did not change the angiotensin converting enzyme activity. These studies demonstrate that mechanical stretch activates the cardiac renin-angiotensin system in a autocrine and paracrine system which acts as an initial mediator of the stretch-induced hypertrophic growth.
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PMID:Renin-angiotensin system in stretch-induced hypertrophy of cultured neonatal rat heart cells. 883 Nov 8

Peripheral administration of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, captopril, and the central infusion of sarile, an angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor antagonist, were used to evaluate the role of renal and brain generated Ang II in sodium depletion-induced production of Fos in cells of the subfornical organ (SFO) and organum vasculosum lamina terminalis (OVLT). Pretreatment with intravenous captopril (100 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the c-fos expression induced by sodium depletion in the SFO and OVLT. In contrast, continuous intracerebroventricular infusion of sarile (22.5 micrograms/4.5 h, 5 microliters/h) did not affect the expected pattern of c-fos expression observed in both nuclei, 4 h after peritoneal dialysis. These results show that systemic interference with the angiotensin system of renal origin by captopril inhibited the production of Fos induced by sodium depletion in cells of the SFO and OVLT. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that a rise in peripheral Ang II levels, triggered by sodium deficiency, could be an important mediator of the physiological and behavioral responses that lead to the restoration of sodium balance. In addition, this study suggests that increased circulating Ang II levels in response to body sodium deficit can directly stimulate neural pathways in the SFO and OVLT.
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PMID:Effect of intravenous captopril on c-fos expression induced by sodium depletion in neurons of the lamina terminalis. 932 36

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) growth plays a key role in the pathophysiology of vascular diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling gene transcription in VSMC remain poorly understood. We previously identified, by differential display, a new gene (6A3-5) overexpressed in proliferating rat VSMC. In this study, we have cloned the full-length cDNA by screening a rat foetal brain cDNA library and investigated its functions. The 6A3-5 protein shows 4 putative conserved functional motifs: a DNA binding domain called ARID (AT-rich interaction domain), two recently described motifs (Osa Homology Domain), and a nuclear localization signal. The deduced protein sequence was observed to be 85% identical to the recently described human Osa2 gene. Immunolabelling, using an anti-6A3-5/Osa2 monoclonal antibody, showed a nuclear localization of the 6A3-5/Osa2 protein. In addition, PDGF upregulated 6A3-5/Osa2 expression at both the transcript and protein levels in a dose and time-dependent fashion. The pattern of upregulation by PDGF was reminiscent of the early responsive gene c-fos. The PDGF-induced upregulation of 6A3-5/Osa2 and proliferation of VSMC were significantly inhibited in a dose and sequence-dependent fashion by an antisense, but not by sense, scrambled or mismatched oligonucleotides directed against 6A3-5/Osa2. In VSMC of aortas derived from hypertensive (LH) rats, 6A3-5/Osa2 is overexpressed as compared to that in normotensive (LL) rats. The 6A3-5/Osa2-gene expression is downregulated by an ACE inhibitor and upregulated by exogenous AngiotensinII in LH rats. In summary, these results indicate that 6A3-5/Osa2 is an early activated gene that belongs to a new family of proteins involved in the control of VSMC growth.
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PMID:6A3-5/Osa2 is an early activated gene implicated in the control of vascular smooth muscle cell functions. 1748 20

The potential function of distal cerebrospinal fluid-contacting nucleus (dCSF-CNs) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) development is poorly understood. We hypothesized that dCSF-CNs might affect the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in kidney injury progression, with dCSF-CNs ablation potentially alleviating local RAS and renal fibrosis in rats after five-sixths nephrectomy (5/6Nx). Part of rats were randomly administered artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) intracerebroventricularly (icv), followed by 5/6Nx or sham operation; and other part of rats were administered Cholera toxin B subunit conjugated with saporin (CB-SAP) for dCSF-CNs lesion before 5/6Nx. The effect of CB-SAP on dCSF-CNs ablation was confirmed by double immunofluorescence staining. RAS component, NOX2 and c-fos levels in the subfornical organ (SFO), hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and hippocampus, as well as tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and c-fos positive cells in rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) were assessed. Next, the levels of RAS components (angiotensinogen [AGT], angiotensin-converting enzyme [ACE], Ang II type 1 receptor [AT1R], angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 [ACE2], and Mas receptor), NADPH oxidases (NOX2 and catalase), inflammatory cytokines (monocyte chemotactic protein 1 [MCP-1] and IL-6), and fibrotic factors (fibronectin and collagen I) were assessed. Less CB-labeled neurons were found in dCSF-CNs of CB-SAP-treated rats compared with 5/6Nx animals. Meanwhile, CB-SAP downregulated AGT, Ang II, AT1R, NOX2, catalase, MCP-1, IL-6, fibronectin, and collagen I, and upregulated ACE2 and Mas receptor, compared with CKD rats. More TH and c-fos positive cells were found in RVLM of 5/6Nx rats but the number decreased after dCSF-CNs ablation. Targeted dCSF-CNs ablation could alleviate renal inflammation and fibrosis in chronic kidney injury by inhibiting cerebral and renal RAS/NADPH oxidase.
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PMID:Targeted Ablation of Distal Cerebrospinal Fluid-Contacting Nucleus Alleviates Renal Fibrosis in Chronic Kidney Disease. 3052 4


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