Effect of angiotensin II infusion on rhythmic clock gene expression and local renin-angiotensin system in the aorta of Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVE: Endogenous daily rhythms in physiology are regulated by the circadian system consisting of the central and peripheral components. The renin-angiotensin system, involved predominantly in water balance and blood pressure control, exerts 24 h rhythmicity in many of its parameters. The present study is aimed to study possible interactions between these two control systems. We analyzed effects induced by angiotensin II administration on clock gene expression in the aorta of rat and an ability of angiotensin II to influence the local tissue renin-angiotensin system.
METHODS: Angiotensin II was infused in a dose of 100 ng/kg/min by subcutaneously implanted osmotic minipumps for 28 days to male Wistar rats. Gene expression was measured by real time PCR.
RESULTS: Angiotensin II administration resulted in an increase in blood pressure, heart weight/body weight index, and water intake in comparison with controls. We observed a significant phase advance in per2 and npas2 mRNA rhythms and decreased mesor of npas2 rhythmic expression in the aorta of angiotensin II-treated rats compared to control. Angiotensin II administration did not influence daily pattern and level of at1 mRNA expression. The ratio ace/ace2 showed a rhythmic pattern in the aorta of control rats with peak levels in the dark period.
CONCLUSIONS: Angiotensin II infusion influenced clock gene expression and diminished a daily rhythm in ace/ace2 mRNA ratio indicating modulatory effect of angiotensin II on tissue renin-angiotensin system in the aorta.