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Query: UMLS:C0020538 (hypertension)
 170,190 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Recent advances in molecular biological techniques provide us with genetic approaches for studying the renin-angiotensin system. Renin and angiotensinogen cDNAs have been cloned in several species, and the sequences are highly conserved between the species. The 5'-flanking region of the human renin gene indicated putative regulatory sequences of glucocorticoid, estrogen, progesterone, and cAMP. The 5'-flanking region of the human angiotensinogen gene also had putative regulatory sequences of glucocorticoid, estrogen, acute phase protein, and cAMP. These structures may be related to the tissue specific expression of the renin and angiotensinogen genes. In this review, expression of rat renin and angiotensinogen genes in various tissues in the following conditions are described: a) different sodium intake in the liver, kidney, and brain; b) angiotensin II and converting enzyme inhibition in the liver, kidney and brain; c) renovascular hypertension in the kidney and liver; d) aging in the liver and kidney; e) adrenal steroids in the liver, kidney and brain; f) gonadotropin and testosterone in the testes, liver and kidney; g) triiodothyronine in the liver, kidney and brain; h) nephrectomy in the liver and brain; i) high potassium, angiotensin II, sodium intake and nephrectomy in the adrenal gland; j) transgenic animal. Our results suggest that the expression of the renin and angiotensinogen genes are regulated in a tissue-specific manner.
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PMID:[Expression of the renin and angiotensinogen genes]. 204 11

We compared the determination of plasma renin activity (PRA) and the direct immunoradiometric measurement of active renin (AR) as ways of assessing the activity of the renin-angiotensin system in normal volunteers and in patients with hypertension, heart failure, or liver failure. The levels of plasma renin substrate, angiotensinogen, and the ratio of PRA to AR concentration did not differ in the normal volunteers and the patients with essential or renovascular hypertension. However, compared to the volunteers, patients with severe heart or liver failure had markedly reduced plasma renin substrate levels, which led to a considerable underestimation of AR concentration when it was measured by PRA.
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PMID:Immunoradiometric assay of active renin versus determination of plasma renin activity in the clinical investigation of hypertension, congestive heart failure, and liver cirrhosis. 210 97

The existence of tissue renin angiotensin system (RAS) has been widely suggested in the recent literature by 2 main approaches: first, a dissociation between antihypertensive effects of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and the levels of stimulation of the circulating RAS; secondly, by the demonstration of the presence of the 3 key-proteins of the system (angiotensinogen, creatinine, and converting enzyme) within the 3 main target-organs of hypertension (i.e. kidney, heart and vessels). Those organs are capable to synthetize locally angiotensin II. Ramipril, a new ACE inhibitor (Triatec), which possesses a high affinity for tissue CE of those organs, according to previous publications by Unger, has been used as a tool for the investigations of the inhibition of those systems in human hypertension: a decrease of micro proteinuria has been without antihypertensive effects. In binephrectomized patients, ramipril has been shown to possess an antihypertensive effect. Finally, an important improvement of myocardial hypertrophy has been shown in hypertensive patients. Furthermore, this effect has been observed in animals (rats with aortic stenosis) even with low doses without antihypertensive effects. Further studies with new methodological approaches are still necessary.
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PMID:[Tissue renin-angiotensin system. Physiology and physiopathological value of their inhibition by ramipril]. 214 94

The effect of a single oral dose (50 mg) of captopril was studied in 12 hypertensive patients divided into 2 groups: 6 had a normal hemodynamic profile; the other 6 had NYHA class III or IV heart failure. Medical history and clinical and laboratory investigation showed that the heart failure was due exclusively to arterial hypertension. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), aldosterone, plasma renin activity (PRA) and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) were followed for 4 hours after administration of captopril. MAP values showed a similar decrease in the 2 groups but the variations in the 3 hormones were much greater in the second group. This group showed higher basal levels of PRA, aldosterone and ANF; after stimulation PRA increased sharply preceded by a substantial decrease in aldosterone and ANF. To explain this phenomenon, the Authors propose that the liver of the patients with heart failure is unable to rapidly compensate the reduction in synthesis of angiotensin II caused by the drug with a corresponding increase in angiotensinogen production; the consequent sharp drop in plasma aldosterone would lead to a rise in renin production by the kidney. The arteriolar and venous vasodilatation induced by the ACE-inhibitor, would explain the drop in intra-atrial pressure with reduced plasma levels of ANF. The decrease in ANF could also be caused by the inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system of the heart leading to improved blood supply and hence myocardial contractility.
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PMID:[Captopril and hypertensive cardiopathy : therapeutic effects and hormonal changes]. 215 Mar 43

The existence of independently functioning local renin-angiotensin systems in a number of tissues has been firmly established by biochemical and functional evidence and, most recently, by the demonstration of genetic messages for components of the renin-angiotensin systems, such as renin and angiotensinogen, in several organs. In this review, local renin-angiotensin systems in the heart and vascular walls are described and the contribution of a local inhibition of converting enzymes to the cardiovascular actions of converting enzyme inhibitors is discussed. Most of the studies cited support the hypothesis that an inhibition of cardiac converting enzyme may be involved in the beneficial hemodynamic and metabolic actions of converting enzyme inhibitors in cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension and congestive heart failure, independent of the circulating renin-angiotensin system. Local effects on cardiac converting enzyme may contribute to the ability of converting enzyme inhibitors to reduce cardiac hypertrophy. Similarly, local converting enzyme inhibition in the vascular wall may not only constitute a mechanism involved in the antihypertensive effects of converting enzyme inhibitors, but may also contribute to the regression of hypertension-induced vascular hypertrophy. In addition to reduced local angiotensin II generation, converting enzyme inhibition may engender a potentiation of the local effects of kinins. This mechanism may be more important to the cardiovascular actions of converting enzyme inhibitors than initially thought.
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PMID:Tissue renin-angiotensin systems in the heart and vasculature: possible involvement in the cardiovascular actions of converting enzyme inhibitors. 215 93

When inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) were initially developed, they were believed to act as antihypertensive agents mainly under pathophysiological conditions, in which an elevated plasma RAS contributed to the elevation and maintenance of high blood pressure (BP). However, evidence has accumulated from studies in hypertensive patients, as well as in animals, indicating that BP could be lowered by converting-enzyme inhibitors (CEIs) independently of whether or not the plasma RAS was stimulated. Several other effects had to be considered. It was thus discovered that converting enzyme (CE) is identical with the bradykinin-degrading enzyme, kininase II, and CEIs can therefore potentiate the vasodepressor effects of bradykinin and thereby interact with the prostaglandin system. Actions of CEIs possibly unrelated to inhibition of angiotensin and kininase also need to be considered. The actions of CEIs at the tissue level (brain, heart, blood vessels, kidney, adrenal gland) and their interference with the autonomic nervous system through central and peripheral actions may under certain conditions be more important than their inhibition of the circulating hormonal plasma angiotensin II. Recent clinical and experimental studies and new insights in the molecular biology of the RAS, especially gene expression of renin and angiotensinogen in tissues of the cardiovascular system, support this view. We have found that chronic CE inhibition with substances such as captopril, quinapril and lisinopril specifically affects angiotensinogen mRNA levels in cardiovascular tissues, and has marked effects on left ventricular hypertrophy, possibly through an action on cardiac angiotensin. These findings have consequences not only for the understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of CEIs but also for their practical therapeutic use.
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PMID:The role of tissue renin-angiotensin systems in hypertension and effects of chronic converting-enzyme inhibition. 216 28

To test whether angiotensinogen might be targeted to dense core secretory granules in cells containing a regulated secretory pathway, we expressed rat angiotensinogen in AtT-20 cells, a mouse pituitary cell line that has the demonstrated ability to correctly sort proteins to the constitutive or regulated pathway. We compared the pattern of secretion of angiotensinogen with that of endogenous adrenocorticotropin hormone, which is secreted by AtT-20 cells through the regulated pathway. When cells were incubated for 5 hours with dibutyryladenosine cyclic monophosphate or KCl, adrenocorticotropin hormone secretion was significantly higher than control, whereas monensin had no effect. In contrast, angiotensinogen secretion was markedly reduced by monensin, but no stimulation was observed with dibutyryladenosine cyclic monophosphate or KCl. These results make it unlikely that angiotensinogen could be cotargeted with active renin in the dense core granules of the regulated pathway. Alternative mechanisms must explain how angiotensin II is synthesized locally by tissue renin-angiotensin systems.
Hypertension 1990 Aug
PMID:Rat angiotensinogen is secreted only constitutively when transfected into AtT-20 cells. 216 1

Spontaneously hypertensive Okamoto-strain rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were actively immunized with mouse renin to investigate the effect on blood pressure of blocking the renin-angiotensinogen reaction. Ten male SHR and 10 male WKY rats were immunized with purified mouse submandibular gland renin. Control rats were immunized with bovine serum albumin. Antirenin antibodies were produced by both SHR and WKY rats, but renin-immunized SHR had higher titers of circulating renin antibodies after three injections. The increase in renin antibody in renin-immunized SHR was associated with a significant drop in blood pressure (tail-cuff method) that became similar to that of the WKY control rats after four injections. The blockade by antirenin immunoglobulins of the renin-angiotensinogen reaction also decreased the blood pressure of normotensive rats. Perfusion of renin-immunized rats with mouse submandibular renin (10 micrograms) in vivo caused no increase in blood pressure. Perfusion of renin-immunized, salt-depleted SHR with converting enzyme inhibitor caused no further decrease in blood pressure but significantly decreased blood pressure in salt-depleted control rats. The presence of circulating renin antibodies was associated with low plasma renin activity (0.31 +/- 0.23 ng angiotensin I [Ang I]/ml/hr). Plasma renin activity was unchanged in control animals (13.1 +/- 3.9 ng Ang I/ml/hr in control SHR, 13.9 +/- 3.2 ng Ang I/ml/hr in control WKY rats). Renin antibody-rich serum produced a dose-dependent inhibition of rat renin enzymatic activity in vitro. The chronic blockade of the renin-angiotensinogen reaction in renin-immunized SHR produced an almost-complete disappearance of Ang II (0.8 %/- 7 fmol/ml; control SHR, 30.6 +/- 15.7 fmol/ml) and a 50% reduction in urinary aldosterone. Renin immunization was never associated with a detectable loss of sodium after either 10 or 24 weeks. The glomerular filtration rate was not decreased 10 weeks after renin immunization, whereas blood pressure was significantly decreased, plasma renin activity was blocked, and renal plasma flow was increased. The ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight after 24 weeks was significantly below control levels in renin-immunized WKY rats and SHR. Histological examination of the kidney of renin-immunized SHR showed a chronic autoimmune interstitial nephritis characterized by the presence of immunoglobulins, mononuclear cell infiltration, and fibrosis around the juxtaglomerular apparatus. These experiments demonstrate that chronic specific blockade of renin decreases blood pressure in a genetic model of hypertension in which the renin-angiotensin system is not directly involved.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Physiological and immunopathological consequences of active immunization of spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats against murine renin. 218 56

The role of the renin-angiotensin system in blood pressure control and in the development of hypertension was investigated by generating transgenic mice carrying the rat renin or angiotensinogen gene or both genes under the control of the mouse metallothionein I promoter. The systolic blood pressure was significantly elevated in transgenic mice carrying both transgenes but was maintained normally in those bearing either of the transgenes. The transgene was effectively and properly transcribed to form the mature mRNA in the transgenic mice. The production of rat renin and angiotensinogen in the transgenic mice carrying the corresponding transgene was also verified by immunoanalyses of these proteins. Furthermore, the specific angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril was effective in reducing the elevated blood pressure of the hypertensive transgenic mice. These results indicate that the combined action of the exogenous rat renin and angiotensinogen is responsible and necessary for elevation of blood pressure in the hypertensive transgenic mice.
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PMID:Generation of transgenic mice with elevated blood pressure by introduction of the rat renin and angiotensinogen genes. 219 50

Multiple lines of evidence (physiologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular biologic) support the presence of a complete intrarenal renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Localization of angiotensinogen messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) within the proximal tubule, together with demonstration of renin and converting enzyme mRNAs within the kidney, provide the most persuasive evidence for local, independent synthesis. Data from a combination of in situ hybridization studies, Northern analysis, and physiologic manipulations lead us to propose that a major site for action of a local RAS is the proximal tubule. There, locally generated angiotensins may regulate sodium reabsorption and urine pH. A variety of factors appear to regulate renal angiotensinogen. For instance sodium depletion increases the expression of renal angiotensinogen (as well as renin mRNA), as does high potassium intake and androgen administration. In pathologic states, such as experimental heart failure, and certain models of hypertension, such as the spontaneously hypertensive rat, expression of renal angiotensinogen mRNA levels is altered. It is proposed that changes in the intrarenal RAS may play a role in the maintenance of homeostasis and in the pathophysiology of various disease states.
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PMID:Intrarenal angiotensinogen: localization and regulation. 220 12


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