Involvement of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor in apoptosis during human fetal adrenal gland development

The aim of this study was to establish a link between the highly expressed angiotensin II (Ang II) type 2 receptor (AT(2)) in human fetal adrenal cells and the proposed apoptotic activity in the center of the gland. There was an important increase in apoptotic DNA fragmentation with age in adrenal glands of fetuses from 15-20 weeks gestation. Adrenal cells showing the characteristic apoptotic internucleosomal DNA fragmentation were localized in the central portion of the fetal zone. In cells cultured for 24 h, Ang II, via the AT(2) receptor, induced DNA fragmentation and cleavage of the DNA repair enzyme, poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Furthermore, characteristic membrane blebbing was observed specifically on cells of the fetal zone. Immunofluorescence studies demonstrated that stimulation with Ang II or CGP 42112 (an agonist of the AT(2) receptor) strongly modified the actin network, now localized exclusively along the plasma membrane, with a predominance of labeling at the base of the bleb formation. This rearrangement of actin distribution was different in cells from the definitive zone, corroborating the observation that these cells express many more Ang II type 1 receptors (AT(1)) than AT(2) receptors. Taken together, our data indicate that the AT(2) receptor is involved in the apoptotic process observed in the human fetal adrenal gland and could participate in the morphological changes occurring after birth, leading to involution of the fetal zone.