-
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and... May 2024AGT (angiotensinogen) is the unique precursor for the generation of all the peptides of the renin-angiotensin system, but it has received relatively scant attention... (Review)
Review
AGT (angiotensinogen) is the unique precursor for the generation of all the peptides of the renin-angiotensin system, but it has received relatively scant attention compared to many other renin-angiotensin system components. Focus on AGT has increased recently, particularly with the evolution of drugs to target the synthesis of the protein. AGT is a noninhibitory serpin that has several conserved domains in addition to the angiotensin II sequences at the N terminus. Increased study is needed on the structure-function relationship to resolve many unknowns regarding AGT metabolism. Constitutive whole-body genetic deletion of in mice leads to multiple developmental defects creating a challenge to use these mice for mechanistic studies. This has been overcome by creating -floxed mice to enable the development of cell-specific deficiencies that have provided considerable insight into a range of cardiovascular and associated diseases. This has been augmented by the recent development of pharmacological approaches targeting hepatocytes in humans to promote protracted inhibition of AGT synthesis. Genetic deletion or pharmacological inhibition of has been demonstrated to be beneficial in a spectrum of diseases experimentally, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, aortic and superior mesenteric artery aneurysms, myocardial dysfunction, and hepatic steatosis. This review summarizes the findings of recent studies utilizing AGT manipulation as a therapeutic approach.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Cardiovascular Diseases; Angiotensinogen; Metabolic Diseases; Renin-Angiotensin System; Molecular Targeted Therapy
PubMed: 38572647
DOI: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.124.318374 -
Journal of Personalized Medicine Feb 2024Hypertension, characterized by elevated pressure, poses a significant health risk. Recent studies in Jordan highlight high hypertension rates, emphasizing the need for...
BACKGROUND
Hypertension, characterized by elevated pressure, poses a significant health risk. Recent studies in Jordan highlight high hypertension rates, emphasizing the need for genetic investigations to comprehend essential hypertension determinants. The gene, part of the Renin Angiotensin System, is linked to blood pressure regulation. Limited information exists on the frequency of this polymorphism among Jordanian hypertensive patients.
AIMS
This study explores the association between the polymorphism and essential hypertension in Jordan.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study with 435 participants (199 hypertensive, 236 non-hypertensive) was conducted at the University of Jordan Hospital. Blood pressure was measured, and genetic analysis of the polymorphism was completed using the PCR-RFLP technique. Chi-square and -tests were used for comparisons using SPSS software.
RESULTS
Hypertensive patients exhibited significantly higher weight, BMI, and blood pressure. Genotyping results showed no significant difference ( > 0.05, ) in polymorphism distribution between control and patient groups. In addition, allele frequencies showed comparable patterns ( > 0.05, ). All genotype frequencies showed no deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equation ( > 0.05, ).
CONCLUSIONS
The genetic polymorphism is not more prevalent among hypertensive patients in Jordan, although the average weight and BMI among hypertensive patients is higher than the non-hypertensive participants. Obesity can be addressed as a potential risk factor for essential hypertension in Jordan. In addition, it is recommended to find out the influence of the genetic polymorphism on the response of antihypertensive drugs among hypertensive patients in Jordan.
PubMed: 38541014
DOI: 10.3390/jpm14030273 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2024Acinar ductal metaplasia (ADM) is among the earliest initiating events in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) development. We developed a novel morphology-based...
Acinar ductal metaplasia (ADM) is among the earliest initiating events in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) development. We developed a novel morphology-based screen using organoids from wildtype and (Cre) mice to discover epigenetic modulators that inhibit or reverse pancreatic ADM more effectively than the broad-spectrum HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA). Of the 144 compounds screened, nine hits and two additional natural product HDAC inhibitors were validated by dose-response analysis. The class I HDAC inhibitors apicidin and FK228, and the histone methyltransferase inhibitor chaetocin demonstrated pronounced ADM inhibition and reversal without inducing significant cytotoxicity at 1 µM. Thioester prodrug class I HDAC inhibitor largazole attenuated ADM while its disulfide homodimer was effective in both ADM inhibition and reversal. Prioritized compounds were validated for ADM reversal in ; LSL- (KC) mouse organoids using both morphological and molecular endpoints. Molecular index analysis of ADM reversal in KC mouse organoids demonstrated improved activity compared to TSA. Improved prodrug stability translated into a stronger phenotypic and molecular response. RNA-sequencing indicated that angiotensinogen was the top inhibited pathway during ADM reversal. Our findings demonstrate a unique epigenetic mechanism and suggest that the phenotypic screen developed here may be applied to discover potential treatments for PDAC.
PubMed: 38510657
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1335246 -
Journal of Cellular and Molecular... Apr 2024In the last decade, extensive attention has been paid to the uremic toxin indoxyl sulphate (IS) as an inducer of cardiac fibroblast (cFib) activation and cardiac...
In the last decade, extensive attention has been paid to the uremic toxin indoxyl sulphate (IS) as an inducer of cardiac fibroblast (cFib) activation and cardiac fibrosis in chronic kidney disease. At cellular level, IS engages aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and regulates many biological functions. We analysed how AhR inhibition by CH-223191 (CH) and overexpression of non-functional (dominant negative, DN) nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2), a transcription factor recruited by AhR, modulate the response of neonatal mouse (nm) cFib to IS. We also evaluated nm-cardiomyocytes after incubation with the conditioned medium (CM) of IS±CH-treated nm-cFib. IS induced activation, collagen synthesis, TLR4 and-downstream-MCP-1, and the genes encoding angiotensinogen, angiotensin-converting enzyme, angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1r) and neprilysin (Nepr) in nm-cFib. CH antagonized IS-initiated nm-cFib activation, but did not affect or even magnified the other features. IS promoted NRF2 nuclear translocation and expression the NRF2 target Nqo1. Both pre-incubation with CH and transfection of DN-NRF2 resulted in loss of NRF2 nuclear localization. Moreover, DN-NRF2 overexpression led to greater TLR4 and MCP-1 levels following exposure to IS. The CM of IS-primed nm-cFib and to a larger extent the CM of IS+CH-treated nm-cFib upregulated AT1r, Nepr and TNFα and myostatin genes in nm-cardiomyocytes. Hence, IS triggers pro-inflammatory activation of nm-cFib partly via AhR, and AhR-NRF2 counteract it. Strategies other than AhR inhibition are needed to target IS detrimental actions on cardiac cells.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Indican; Signal Transduction; Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; NF-E2-Related Factor 2; Toll-Like Receptor 4; Fibroblasts
PubMed: 38506079
DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18192 -
Nature Communications Mar 2024Genetic mechanisms of blood pressure (BP) regulation remain poorly defined. Using kidney-specific epigenomic annotations and 3D genome information we generated and...
Genetic mechanisms of blood pressure (BP) regulation remain poorly defined. Using kidney-specific epigenomic annotations and 3D genome information we generated and validated gene expression prediction models for the purpose of transcriptome-wide association studies in 700 human kidneys. We identified 889 kidney genes associated with BP of which 399 were prioritised as contributors to BP regulation. Imputation of kidney proteome and microRNAome uncovered 97 renal proteins and 11 miRNAs associated with BP. Integration with plasma proteomics and metabolomics illuminated circulating levels of myo-inositol, 4-guanidinobutanoate and angiotensinogen as downstream effectors of several kidney BP genes (SLC5A11, AGMAT, AGT, respectively). We showed that genetically determined reduction in renal expression may mimic the effects of rare loss-of-function variants on kidney mRNA/protein and lead to an increase in BP (e.g., ENPEP). We demonstrated a strong correlation (r = 0.81) in expression of protein-coding genes between cells harvested from urine and the kidney highlighting a diagnostic potential of urinary cell transcriptomics. We uncovered adenylyl cyclase activators as a repurposing opportunity for hypertension and illustrated examples of BP-elevating effects of anticancer drugs (e.g. tubulin polymerisation inhibitors). Collectively, our studies provide new biological insights into genetic regulation of BP with potential to drive clinical translation in hypertension.
Topics: Humans; Blood Pressure; Proteome; Transcriptome; Multiomics; Hypertension; Kidney; Sodium-Glucose Transport Proteins
PubMed: 38504097
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46132-y -
Medicine Mar 2024Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the third most common cause of mortality globally (with 17.8 million deaths annually). Angiotensinogen (AGT) and polymorphisms in this...
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the third most common cause of mortality globally (with 17.8 million deaths annually). Angiotensinogen (AGT) and polymorphisms in this gene can be considered as susceptibility factors for CAD. We performed a retrospective case-control study to determine the correlation of AGT rs5051 and rs699 polymorphisms with CAD in an Iranian population. We genotyped 310 CAD patients and 310 healthy subjects using polymerase chain reaction-based methods. To confirm the accuracy of the screening approach, 10% of genotyped subjects were validated using gold-standard Sanger Sequencing. To evaluate the effect of the candidate polymorphisms, white blood cells were randomly purified from the subjects and AGT expression was measured by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Sex stratification indicated a significant correlation between CAD and male sex (P = .0101). We found a significant association between the rs5051 A allele (P = .002) and the rs699 C allele, and CAD (P = .0122) in recessive and dominant models. Moreover, our findings showed a significant association of the haplotype, including the rs5051 A/A and rs699 T/C genotypes, with CAD (P = .0405). Finally, AGT mRNA levels were significantly decreased in patients harboring the candidate polymorphisms (P = .03). According to our findings The AGT rs5051 A and AGT rs699 C alleles are predisposing variants of CAD risk and severity in the Iranian population.
Topics: Humans; Male; Angiotensinogen; Case-Control Studies; Coronary Artery Disease; Gene Frequency; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype; Iran; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors
PubMed: 38489704
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000037045 -
Journal of Pharmacological Sciences Apr 202411β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) plays an important role in regulating the expression of glucocorticoid actions in target tissues. Overexpression of...
11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) plays an important role in regulating the expression of glucocorticoid actions in target tissues. Overexpression of 11β-HSD1 in mouse adipose tissue causes a metabolic syndrome-like phenotype, leading to hypertension. Although, many 11β-HSD1 inhibitors have been studied, few have shown a clear ameliorative effect against hypertension. We investigated whether JTT-654, a novel 11β-HSD1 inhibitor, ameliorated hypertension and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. JTT-654 showed inhibitory effects on angiotensinogen production in cortisone-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes and in a rat model. JTT-654 improved hypertension not only in cortisone-treated rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), but also in SHR/NDmcr-cp rats. In the SHR study, JTT-654 and losartan showed the same degree of antihypertensive efficacy. In addition, JTT-654 ameliorated diabetic nephropathy by suppressing renal angiotensinogen production in SHR/NDmcr-cp rats. These effects of JTT-654 were independent of its insulin-sensitizing effects, and similar effects were not observed for pioglitazone, an insulin sensitizer. Moreover, JTT-654 did not affect normotension or hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in normal Sprague-Dawley rats. Our results indicate that JTT-654 ameliorates hypertension and diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting 11β-HSD1 in the adipose tissue, liver, and kidney.
Topics: Mice; Rats; Animals; 11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1; Diabetic Nephropathies; Cortisone; Angiotensinogen; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Insulin; Kidney; Hypertension; Diabetes Mellitus
PubMed: 38485342
DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2024.02.001 -
Physiological Reports Mar 2024With climate change, selection for water efficiency and heat resilience are vitally important. We undertook this study to determine the effect of chronic cyclic heat...
With climate change, selection for water efficiency and heat resilience are vitally important. We undertook this study to determine the effect of chronic cyclic heat stress (HS) on the hypothalamic expression profile of water homeostasis-associated markers in high (HWE)- and low (LWE)-water efficient chicken lines. HS significantly elevated core body temperatures of both lines. However, the amplitude was higher by 0.5-1°C in HWE compared to their LWE counterparts. HWE line drank significantly less water than LWE during both thermoneutral (TN) and HS conditions, and HS increased water intake in both lines with pronounced magnitude in LWE birds. HWE had better feed conversion ratio (FCR), water conversion ratio (WCR), and water to feed intake ratio. At the molecular level, the overall hypothalamic expression of aquaporins (AQP8 and AQP12), arginine vasopressin (AVP) and its related receptor AVP2R, angiotensinogen (AGT), angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1), and calbindin 2 (CALB2) were significantly lower; however, CALB1 mRNA and AQP2 protein levels were higher in HWE compared to LWE line. Compared to TN conditions, HS exposure significantly increased mRNA abundances of AQPs (8, 12), AVPR1a, natriuretic peptide A (NPPA), angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE), CALB1 and 2, and transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 and 4 (TRPV1 and TRPV4) as well as the protein levels of AQP2, however it decreased that of AQP4 gene expression. A significant line by environment interaction was observed in several hypothalamic genes. Heat stress significantly upregulated AQP2 and SCT at mRNA levels and AQP1 and AQP3 at both mRNA and protein levels, but it downregulated that of AQP4 protein only in LWE birds. In HWE broilers, however, HS upregulated the hypothalamic expression of renin (REN) and AVPR1b genes and AQP5 proteins, but it downregulated that of AQP3 protein. The hypothalamic expression of AQP (5, 7, 10, and 11) genes was increased by HS in both chicken lines. In summary, this is the first report showing improvement of growth performances in HWE birds. The hypothalamic expression of several genes was affected in a line- and/or environment-dependent manner, revealing potential molecular signatures for water efficiency and/or heat tolerance in chickens.
Topics: Animals; Chickens; Aquaporin 2; Water; Hot Temperature; Heat-Shock Response; RNA, Messenger
PubMed: 38467563
DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15972 -
Current Hypertension Reports May 2024The primary goal of this review article was to determine whether the three RAAS-associated SNPs, Renin-rs16853055, AGT-rs3789678 and ACE-rs4305 are genetically linked to... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The primary goal of this review article was to determine whether the three RAAS-associated SNPs, Renin-rs16853055, AGT-rs3789678 and ACE-rs4305 are genetically linked to the development of hypertension in preeclampsia. The secondary goal was to establish if there was a link between these SNPs and HIV infection.
RECENT FINDINGS
There is a paucity of findings related to the aforementioned SNPs and preeclampsia. There are no recent findings on the rs16853055 renin polymorphism. The rs3789678 angiotensinogen polymorphism correlated significantly with gestational hypertension. The rs4305 ACE polymorphism showed no significant association with the development of pregnancy-induced hypertension. There are conflicting findings when determining the relationship between ethnicity and the predisposition of preeclampsia and hypertension in relation to the discussed RAAS-associated SNPs. To date, the association between RAAS-associated SNPs and preeclamptic women co-morbid with HIV in South Africa has revealed that certain alleles of the AGT gene are more prominent in HIV-infected PE compared to normotensive pregnant HIV-infected women.
Topics: Humans; Pregnancy; Female; Pre-Eclampsia; HIV Infections; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Angiotensinogen; Renin-Angiotensin System; Renin; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious
PubMed: 38411777
DOI: 10.1007/s11906-023-01292-y