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D E Dostal

Publications and source records attributed to D E Dostal.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Canine ventricular myocytes possess a renin-angiotensin system that is upregulated with heart failure.

Ventricular pacing leads to a dilated myopathy in which cell death and myocyte hypertrophy predominate. Because angiotensin II (Ang II) stimulates myocyte growth and triggers apoptosis, we tested whether canine myocytes express the components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and whether the local RAS is upregulated with heart failure. p53 modulates transcription of angiotensinogen (Aogen) and AT(1) receptors in myocytes, raising the possibility that enhanced p53 function in the decompensated heart potentiates Ang II synthesis and Ang II-mediated responses. Therefore, the presence of mRNA transcripts for Aogen, renin, angiotensin-converting enzyme, chymase, and AT(1) and AT(2) receptors was evaluated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in myocytes. Changes in the protein expression of these genes were then determined by Western blot in myocytes from control dogs and dogs affected by congestive heart failure. p53 binding to the promoter of Aogen and AT(1) receptor was also determined. Ang II in myocytes was measured by ELISA and by immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy. Myocytes expressed mRNAs for all the constituents of RAS, and heart failure was characterized by increased p53 DNA binding to Aogen and AT(1). Additionally, protein levels of Aogen, renin, cathepsin D, angiotensin-converting enzyme, and AT(1) were markedly increased in paced myocytes. Conversely, chymase and AT(2) proteins were not altered. Ang II quantity and labeling of myocytes increased significantly with cardiac decompensation. In conclusion, dog myocytes synthesize Ang II, and activation of p53 function with ventricular pacing upregulates the myocyte RAS and the generation and secretion of Ang II. Ang II may promote myocyte growth and death, contributing to the development of heart failure.

Actins↗
PubMed2000

The cardiac renin-angiotensin system: novel signaling mechanisms related to cardiac growth and function.

Angiotensin II, the effector peptide of the renin-angiotensin system, has been demonstrated to be involved in the regulation of cellular growth of several tissues in response to developmental, physiological, and pathological processes. The recent identification of renin-angiotensin system components and localization of angiotensin II receptors in cardiac tissue suggests that locally synthesized Ang II can modulate functional and growth responses in cardiac tissue. In this review, regulation of the cardiac RAS is discussed, with an emphasis on growth-related Ang II signal transduction systems.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed2000

Regulation of angiotensinogen gene expression and protein in neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts by glucocorticoid and beta-adrenergic stimulation.

We previously demonstrated the presence of components for a renin-angiotensin system in fibroblasts cultured from neonatal rat ventricles, the regulation of expression of which has not been studied. Since glucocorticoids and beta-adrenergic stimuli have been implicated in cardiac hypertrophy, and function as regulators of the circulating renin-angiotensin system, we examined the effects of dexamethasone and isoproterenol on angiotensinogen mRNA levels and protein secretion in cultured neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts. Treatment of cardiac fibroblasts for 8 h with 10 micromol/l isoproterenol or 100 nmol/l dexamethasone increased angiotensinogen mRNA levels by 246 +/- 7% and 1406 +/- 207%, respectively. Over 24 h, dexamethasone and isoproterenol increased angiotensinogen secretion by 148 +/- 32% and 123 +/- 26%, respectively. Angiotensin II, which has been reported to be a positive regulator of angiotensinogen synthesis and secretion in liver, markedly attenuated the effects of dexamethasone and isoproterenol on angiotensinogen mRNA expression and secretion. In the presence of 1 micromol/l angiotensin II, the stimulation in angiotensinogen secretion observed with dexamethasone and isoproterenol was decreased by 62% and 76%, respectively. The negative feedback of angiotensin II on angiotensinogen expression was primarily mediated through the type one angiotensin II (AT1) receptor (IC50 = 0.30 +/- 0.02 nmol/l). In summary, results from this study demonstrate that angiotensinogen mRNA levels and protein secretion in cardiac fibroblasts are positively regulated by glucocorticoid and beta-adrenergic stimulation. In addition, angiotensinogen production by cardiac fibroblasts is under negative feedback control of angiotensin II.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed2000

Cardiotrophin-1 increases angiotensinogen mRNA in rat cardiac myocytes through STAT3 : an autocrine loop for hypertrophy.

-Cardiotrophin-1, an interleukin-6-related cytokine, stimulates the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway and induces cardiac myocyte hypertrophy. In this study, we demonstrate that cardiotrophin-1 induces cardiac myocyte hypertrophy in part by upregulation of a local renin-angiotensin system through the JAK/STAT pathway. We found that cardiotrophin-1 increased angiotensinogen mRNA expression in cardiac myocytes via STAT3 activation. Tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 by cardiotrophin-1 treatment resulted in STAT3 homodimer binding to the St-domain in the angiotensinogen gene promoter, which lead to promoter activation in a transient transfection assay. Cardiotrophin-1-induced STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation and binding to the St-domain were suppressed by AG490, a specific JAK2 inhibitor, which also attenuated cardiotrophin-1-stimulated angiotensinogen promoter activity. Cardiotrophin-1 did not activate the angiotensinogen gene promoter that contained a substitution mutation within the St-domain. Finally, losartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist, significantly attenuated cardiotrophin-1-induced hypertrophy of neonatal rat cardiac myocytes. Angiotensin II is known to induce cardiac myocyte hypertrophy by activating the G-protein-coupled angiotensin II type 1 receptor. Our results suggest that upregulation of angiotensinogen and angiotensin II production contribute to cardiotrophin-1-induced cardiac myocyte hypertrophy and emphasize an important interaction between G-protein-coupled and cytokine receptors.

Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists↗
PubMed1999

The cardiac renin-angiotensin system: conceptual, or a regulator of cardiac function?

Angiotensin II, the effector peptide of the renin-angiotensin system, regulates cellular growth in response to developmental, physiological, and pathological processes. The identification of renin-angiotensin system components and angiotensin II receptors in cardiac tissue suggests the existence of an autocrine/paracrine system that has effects independent of angiotensin II derived from the circulatory system. To be functional, a local renin-angiotensin system should produce sufficient amounts of the autocrine and/or paracrine factor to elicit biological responses, contain the final effector (angiotensin II receptor), and respond to humoral, neural, and/or mechanical stimuli. In this review, we discuss evidence for a functional cardiac renin-angiotensin system.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1999

Paracrine actions of cardiac fibroblasts on cardiomyocytes: implications for the cardiac renin-angiotensin system.

Conditioned medium of cardiac fibroblasts was found to induce protein synthesis and signal transduction events rapidly, and to increase angiotensinogen messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. Within 4 hours, fibroblast-conditioned medium (FCM) stimulated protein synthesis in cardiac myocytes, independent of the contractile state, and induced marked increases within 24 hours in total protein content. Endothelin- released by cardiac fibroblasts was not responsible for the stimulation of protein synthesis. FCM rapidly activated signal transduction events in cardiac myocytes associated with hypertrophic stimuli, including: (1) increased tyrosine phosphorylation of several prominent protein bands; (2) mitogen-activated protein kinases (ERK 1 and ERK 2); and (3) protein kinase C. Finally, FCM caused an increase at 8 hours in angiotensinogen mRNA levels of cardiac myocytes, whereas no effect was observed on mRNA levels for renin or the type 1 angiotensin II receptor (AT1). Our results suggest that cardiac fibroblasts produce a factor that rapidly activates cardiac myocyte growth through a membrane receptor that couples to conventional signal transduction pathways.

Angiotensinogen↗
PubMed1997

The type I angiotensin II receptor couples to Stat1 and Stat3 activation through Jak2 kinase in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes.

The octapeptide, angiotensin II, has a modulatory role on cardiac cellular growth associated with hypertension and in compensatory remodeling following myocardial infarction. The molecular signal transduction pathways that participate in these and other cellular actions in response to angiotensin II are presently being elucidated. The signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathway directly links cytokine and growth factor receptors with transcriptional activity. We provide evidence that the G protein-linked, angiotensin II, AT1-receptor couples to activation of the STAT pathway in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes. Angiotensin II induces primarily sis-inducing factor (SIF) B and to a lesser extent SIF-C and SIF-A. The EC50 of this response was 40 nM and Stat1 and Stat3 proteins were identified as components of the SIF complexes. Stat1 and Stat3 were tyrosine phosphorylated five-fold and three-fold, respectively, over control levels following angiotensin II treatment of cardiac myocytes. Phosphorylation of Stat1 and Stat3 proteins was rapid (5 min) and sustained (60 min). Jak2 was also tyrosine phosphorylated eight-fold by angiotensin II treatment, and phosphorylated Stat1 and Stat3 proteins co-immunoprecipitated with activated Jak2 kinase. Selective inhibition of Jak2 kinase with AG-490 blocked formation of angiotensin II induced SIF complexes, suggesting that Jak2 kinase is required for cardiomyocyte SIF induction. In addition, Jak2, Stat1 and Stat3 proteins co-immunoprecipitated with the AT1-receptor. These are the first data to demonstrate coupling of a G-protein coupled receptor, AT1, to the JAK-STAT pathway in primary cultured cardiac myocytes and suggest that this pathway may be involved in transcriptional regulation by angiotensin II.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1997

Molecular mechanisms of angiotensin II in modulating cardiac function: intracardiac effects and signal transduction pathways.

Angiotensin II (Ang II), the effector peptide of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), regulates volume and electrolyte homeostasis and is involved in cardiac and vascular cellular growth in humans and other species. This system, which has been conserved throughout evolution, plays an important role in cardiac and vascular pathology associated with hypertension, coronary heart disease, myocarditis and congestive heart failure. The traditional RAS is viewed as a system in which circulating Ang II is delivered to target organs and cells. However, in the past decade, a local RAS has been described in cardiac cells, providing evidence for autocrine and paracrine pathways by which biological actions of Ang II could be mediated. The critical actions of Ang II are mediated primarily through the AT1, G-protein (guanylyl nucleotide binding protein) coupled receptor. In addition to coupling to conventional G-protein signal transduction pathways, the AT1 receptor was recently shown to increase the tyrosine phosphorylation of several intracellular substrates, including the STAT (Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription) family of novel transcription factors, in rat cardiac fibroblasts, myocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells, and AT1 receptor transfected CHO cells. It has been shown that Ang II stimulates the tyrosine phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Stat1 (Stat 91) and Stat3 (Stat 92). Angiotensin II acting directly through the AT1 receptor, induces the formation of a complex of STAT proteins termed SIF (sis-inducing factor) which binds the DNA sequence, SIE (sis-inducing element) present in the promotor element of many genes. This provides evidence for a direct role of Ang II in mediating inflammatory and remodeling responses through the JAK-STAT pathway. Thus, it is likely that the JAK-STAT pathway has an important role in Ang II-mediated effects on gene transcription, cardiac and vascular cellular growth/development, and inflammatory responses.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1997

Captopril modifies gene expression in hypertrophied and failing hearts of aged spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) exhibits a transition from stable compensated left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy to heart failure (HF) at a mean age of 21 months that is characterized by a decrease in alpha-myosin heavy chain (alpha-MHC) gene expression and increases in the expression of the atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), pro-alpha1(III) collagen, and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) genes. We tested the hypotheses that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition (ACEI) in SHR would prevent and reverse HF-associated changes in gene expression when administered prior to and after the onset of HF, respectively. We also investigated the effect of ACEI on circulating and cardiac components of the renin-angiotensin system. ACEI (captopril 2 g/L in the drinking water) was initiated at 12, 18, and 21 months of age in SHR without HF and in SHR with HF. Results were compared with those of age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, and to untreated SHR with and without evidence of HF. ACEI initiated prior to failure prevented the changes in alpha-MHC, ANF, pro-alpha1(III) collagen, and TGF-beta1 gene expression that are associated with the transition to HF. ACEI initiated after the onset of HF lowered levels of TGF-beta1 mRNA by 50% (P<.05) and elevated levels of alpha-MHC mRNA two- to threefold (P<.05). Circulating levels of renin and angiotensin I were elevated four- to sixfold by ACEI, but surprisingly, plasma levels of angiotensin II were not reduced. ACEI increased LV renin mRNA levels in WKY and SHR by two- to threefold but did not influence LV levels of angiotensinogen mRNA. The results suggest that the anti-HF benefits of ACEI in SHR may be mediated, at least in part, by effects on the expression of specific genes, including those encoding alpha-MHC, ANF, TGF-beta1, pro-alpha1(III) collagen, and renin-angiotensin system components.

Aging↗
PubMed1995

Stable expression of a functional rat angiotensin II (AT1A) receptor in CHO-K1 cells: rapid desensitization by angiotensin II.

The octapeptide angiotensin II mediates the physiological actions of the renin-angiotensin system through activation of several angiotensin II receptor subtypes; in particular the AT1. In many tissues, the presence of multiple angiotensin II receptor subtypes, together with a low number of receptors, makes it difficult to study biological responses to physiological concentrations (10(-11)-10(-9) M) of angiotensin II. Also, cultured cells show diminished angiotensin II receptor binding with respect to time in culture and passage number. To address these problems, we expressed the recombinant AT1A receptor in CHO-K1 cells. The stably transfected receptor was characterized using radioligand binding studies and functional coupling to cytosolic free calcium. Radioligand binding of [125I] angiotensin II to the angiotensin II receptor was specific, saturable, reversible and modulated by guanine nucleotides. Like the endogenous AT1A receptor, reported in a variety of tissues, the specific, noncompetitive, nonpeptide AII receptor antagonist, EXP3174, blocked binding of [125I] angiotensin II to the transfected receptor. Scatchard analysis demonstrated that the transfected receptor had a dissociation constant of 1.9 nM with a density of 3.4 pmol/mg protein. An important feature of many of the responses to angiotensin II is the rapid desensitization that occurs following agonist occupancy and the development of tachyphylaxis. In AT1A receptor transfected CHO-K1 cells, angiotensin II (10(-9) M) stimulated a rapid increase in cytosolic free calcium that was completely desensitized within 50 sec following receptor occupancy. Agonist induced desensitization was unaffected when receptor internalization was blocked by pretreatment with concanavalin A or incubation at 4 degrees C, and no changes in AT1A receptor affinity or number were observed. Receptor desensitization was also unaffected by inhibition or activation of protein kinase C. Thus, we have established a permanent, high-level transfectant of the AT1A receptor in CHO-K1 cells and have shown that these receptors rapidly desensitize following exposure to physiological concentrations of agonist. The mechanism of rapid desensitization is not related to receptor sequestration, internalization or controlled by PKC phosphorylation. This provides an excellent model for studying AII actions mediated through a specific receptor subtype, at subnanomolar concentrations.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1995

Angiotensin II is a potent stimulator of MAP-kinase activity in neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts.

We have previously shown that angiotensin II (AII) is a mitogen for neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts. However, the signaling events that lead to fibroblast cell growth in response to AII remain to be elucidated. Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are cytosolic serine/threonine kinases which have been shown to be activated in quiescent cells by diverse growth stimuli, thereby being linked to growth regulatory pathways. This study was designed to determine whether MAP-kinase activation occurred in response to AII/receptor coupling in neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts and the role of MAP-kinase activation in the AII-induced proliferation of these cells. Immunoblot analysis of MAP-kinase isoforms revealed predominantly p44 with less p42 MAP-kinase in rat cardiac fibroblasts. Both isoforms were activated upon stimulation of the cells with AII for 5 min or platelet derived growth factor-BB for 10 min. Angiotensin II stimulated MAP-kinase in a dose-dependent fashion with an EC50 of 2.5 nM. Two minutes following stimulation with 1 microM AII MAP-kinase activity increased from 90 +/- 17.9 to 477.5 +/- 75.9 pmol/min/mg protein, P < 0.05, n = 4. A smaller, sustained, secondary increase in MAP-kinase activity from 37.7 +/- 5.3 to 110.9 +/- 15.3 pmol/min/mg protein, P < 0.05, n = 4, was observed in response to AII between 120-150 minutes following receptor occupancy. The responses to AII were markedly attenuated by the AT1 receptor antagonist EXP3174. Stimulation of the cells with carbachol induced the first but not the second phase of MAP-kinase activity and this compound had no effect on cellular growth. The second phase of MAP-kinase activity 2-2.5 h after AII stimulation, paralleled data demonstrating that a 2-3 h receptor occupancy with AII was necessary to induce DNA synthesis and fibroblast proliferation. These results indicate that AII stimulates a biphasic activation of MAP-kinase by the AT1 receptor and that this pathway may participate in the AII induced mitogenic response in cardiac fibroblasts.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1995

Identification and activation of autocrine renin-angiotensin system in adult ventricular myocytes.

To date, the demonstration that the molecular components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) are present in adult ventricular myocytes is lacking. In addition, whether the RAS is upregulated under conditions of overload and myocyte hypertrophy in vivo remains to be determined. By employing an in vivo model of ischemic cardiomyopathy in rats, we document that adult myocytes express genes for renin, angiotensinogen, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), and angiotensin II (ANG II) receptors. Moreover, renin, ACE, and ANG II receptor mRNAs increased in stressed myocytes undergoing cellular hypertrophy. At the protein level, the percentage of myocytes containing renin, ANG I, and ANG II was significantly increased in the overloaded heart. The number of binding sites for ANG II per myocyte also markedly increased under this setting. These results provide direct evidence of the existence of a myocyte RAS, which may be activated in pathological states of the heart to support myocyte growth and contractile function.

Angiotensinogen↗
PubMed1995

Sensitive bioassay for the detection and quantification of angiotensin II in tissue culture medium.

We have developed a sensitive, high-throughput bioassay to quantify angiotensin II in culture medium. Using Chinese hamster ovary cells that stably express a transfected angiotensin II receptor as target cells, we demonstrated that an agonist-stimulated myelin basic protein kinase response can be used as a basis of quantitative bioassay for angiotensin II. The assay permits detection of as little as 10 pg of angiotensin II in 1 mL of medium and offers an excellent alternative to HPLC and radioimmunoassay. This approach may also be applicable for quantification of other peptide hormones or growth factors produced by cell cultures.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1994

An improved method for absolute quantification of mRNA using multiplex polymerase chain reaction: determination of renin and angiotensinogen mRNA levels in various tissues.

We have developed a multiplex, competitive, reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method which measures absolute levels of renin, angiotensinogen, and the housekeeping transcript elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1 alpha) mRNA. Sample RNA was simultaneously titrated with serial dilutions of renin, angiotensinogen, and EF-1 alpha competitor RNAs which flanked the endogenous concentrations of target transcripts. The samples were coreverse transcribed in the presence of random primers and resulting first-strand cDNA was coamplified for 10-15 cycles with [32P]-dCTP and primers for renin angiotensinogen, after which EF-1 alpha primers were added. Amplified DNA was separated by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel and radioactivity in the bands was quantified by direct radioanalytical scanning. Three conditions were necessary to obtain absolute quantification of renin and angiotensinogen mRNA levels: (a) exogenous competitor RNA was used to control for tube-to-tube variability in the efficiencies of reverse transcription and amplification; (b) Sample RNA was titrated with flanking concentrations of competitor RNA to correct for intraassay differences in the efficiency of amplification due to concentration differences between competitor and target templates; and (c) a housekeeping transcript EF-1 alpha was used to control for tube-to-tube differences in RNA loading and/or degradation. We show that the multiplex RT-PCR method is precise and accurate over approximately three logs of transcript concentration and sensitive to less than 5 and 0.5 fg for renin and angiotensinogen mRNA, respectively. This method will be useful for absolute quantification of target mRNAs, especially when the amount of sample RNA is limited or unknown and/or the gene expression is low.

Angiotensinogen↗
PubMed1994

Involvement of protein kianse C and Ca2+ in angiotensin II-induced mitogenesis of cardiac fibroblasts.

Angiotensin (ANG) II has been previously shown to stimulate proliferation of neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts via AT1 receptors. Here we conducted studies to assess involvement in this process of two second messengers linked to AT1 receptors, protein kinase C (PKC) and Ca2+. Several findings argue against a dominant role for PKC in ANG II-induced mitogenesis: 1) [Sar1]ANG II, which produced a modest, transient increase in PKC activity, was equally effective in inducing thymidine incorporation into DNA in PKC-depleted cells, whereas the effect of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB on thymidine incorporation was reduced to the level observed with [Sar1]ANG II; 2) phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a potent PKC stimulator, was ineffective in stimulating thymidine incorporation; and 3) PKC downregulation or the highly specific PKC inhibitor, compound 3, eliminated PMA-induced mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activity but did not affect comparable increases induced by [Sar1]ANG II or PDGF-BB. Increased intracellular Ca2+ may be sufficient to account for [Sar1]ANG II-induced MAP kinase activity because ionomycin also increased MAP kinase activity and chelation of intracellular Ca2+ eliminated [Sar1]ANG II-induced activity in PKC-depleted fibroblasts. However, Ca2+ chelation did not prevent [Sar1]ANG II-induced MAP kinase activity in non-PKC-depleted fibroblasts. Thus ANG II can activate MAP kinase in cardiac fibroblasts by either Ca(2+)- or PKC-dependent pathways, and whereas the full effect of PDGF-BB on thymidine incorporation and cell proliferation requires a phorbol ester-sensitive PKC, the hyperplastic growth effect of ANG II does not.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1993

Morphological and biochemical analysis of angiotensin II internalization in cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells.

The intracellular pathway and kinetics of angiotensin II (ANG II) internalization are not well understood. We developed a biologically active ANG II-colloidal gold complex to qualitatively examine, by transmission electron microscopy, the ultrastructural details of ANG II binding and internalization in cultured rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). To quantitatively evaluate ANG II internalization, we analyzed intracellular accumulation of 125I-labeled ANG II. These studies show that ANG II is internalized by VSMC in a time- and temperature-dependent fashion with a half time of < 2 min at 37 degrees C. Initially, ANG II binds diffusely over the entire cell surface. After binding, the ANG II receptors aggregate in coated pits that transform into small intracellular vesicles. By 60 min after internalization, gold particles are evident within large lysosome-like vesicles deep within the cell. ANG II-gold binding and internalization were selective: control probe (no ANG II) did not internalize; losartan potassium effectively competed for ANG II-gold binding and internalization.

Angiotensin II↗