Angiotensin II chronic infusion induces B1 receptor expression in aorta of rats

We investigated whether angiotensin II infusion modulates in vivo the kinin B1 receptor expression and the mechanisms involved in this process. We also evaluated the role of the B1 receptor activation in aorta. Wistar rats received 400 ng/kg per minute of angiotensin II or saline (control rats) infusion during 14 days through an osmotic minipump. To investigate the role of superoxide anion in B1 receptor expression, rats received a reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase inhibitor in the drinking water during 14 days (60 mg/L of apocynin) simultaneously with angiotensin II infusion. Angiotensin II induced B1 receptor expression in the aorta and increased significantly systolic blood pressure, superoxide anion, and the nuclear factor kappa B activity. Apocynin treatment did not alter the blood pressure levels of angiotensin II rats and reduced the B1 receptor expression, superoxide anion generation, and nuclear factor kappa B activity to similar levels of the control rats. Vascular reactivity studies in isolated aorta reveal that B1 receptor agonist promoted endothelium-dependent dilation and increased the NO generation in aorta of angiotensin II rats. NO synthase inhibitor and B1 receptor antagonist inhibited the vasodilation and NO generation, which were not affected by B2 receptor antagonist or indomethacin. These results provide evidence that angiotensin II induces B1 receptor expression in aorta by superoxide anion generation, via reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase, concomitant to nuclear factor kappa B activation. We have also shown that B1 receptor agonist causes endothelium-dependent vasodilation through NO production in aortic rings, suggesting that the B1 receptor expression could be related with the vascular tonus control of angiotensin II rats.