The initiation or progression of periodontitis might involve a local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in periodontal tissue. The aim of this study was to further characterize the local RAS in human and rat periodontal tissues between healthy and periodontally-affected tissue. Components of the RAS were investigated using in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo experiments involving both human and Wistar rat periodontium. Although not upregulated when challenged with P. gingivalis-lipopolysaccharide, human gingival and periodontal ligament fibroblasts expressed RAS components. Likewise, healthy and inflamed human gingiva expressed RAS components, some of which were shown to be functional, yet no differences in expression were found between healthy and diseased gingiva. However, in inflamed tissue the immunoreactivity was greater for the AT1R compared to AT2R in fibroblasts. When compared to healthy tissue, ACE activity was increased in human gingiva from volunteers with gingivitis. Human-gingiva homogenates generated Ang II, Ang 1-9 and Ang 1-7 when incubated with precursors. In gingiva homogenates, Ang II formation from Ang I was nearly abolished only when captopril and chymostatin were combined. Ang 1-7 formation was significantly greater when human gingiva homogenates were incubated with chymostatin alone compared to incubation without any inhibitor, only captopril, or captopril and chymostatin. In rat gingiva, RAS components were also found; their expression was not different between healthy and experimentally induced periodontitis (EP) groups. However, renin inhibition (aliskiren) and an AT1R antagonist (losartan) significantly blocked EP-alveolar-bone loss in rats. Collectively, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that a local RAS system is not only present but is also functional in both human and rat periodontal tissue. Furthermore, blocking AT1R and renin can significantly prevent periodontal bone loss induced by EP in rats.

The renin-angiotensin system plays an important role in the control of blood pressure (BP) and renal function. To illuminate the importance of renin in the context of a disease background in vivo, we used zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) designed to target the renin gene and create a renin knockout in the SS/JrHsdMcwi (SS) rat. ZFN against renin caused a 10-bp deletion in exon 5, resulting in a frameshift mutation. Plasma renin activity was undetectable in the Ren−/− rat, and renin protein was absent from the juxtaglomerular cells in the kidney. Body weight was lower in the Ren−/− rats (than in the Ren+/− or wild-type littermates), and conscious BP on low-salt diet (0.4% NaCl) was 58 ± 2 mm Hg in the Ren−/− male rats versus 117 mm Hg in the Ren+/− littermates, a reduction of almost 50 mm Hg. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and plasma creatinine levels were elevated in the Ren−/− strain (BUN 112 ± 7 versus 23 ± 2 mg/dL and creatinine 0.53 ± 0.02 versus 0.26 ± 0.02 mg/dL), and kidney morphology was abnormal with a rudimentary inner renal medulla, cortical interstitial fibrosis, thickening of arterial walls, and abnormally shaped glomeruli. The development of the first rat knockout in the renin-angiotensin system demonstrates the efficacy of the ZFN technology for creating knockout rats for cardiovascular disease on any genetic background and emphasizes the role of renin in BP regulation and kidney function even in the low-renin SS rat.

Serum albumin contamination of cells cultured in vitro significantly impedes the mass spectrometric analysis of proteins secreted by the cells. Here we report a novel washing and culturing technique for rat vascular endothelial cells that considerably reduces the concentration of the commonly used additive for cell culture, bovine serum albumin (BSA), in the secretome of these cells. Cells are rinsed stringently and cultured for 24 h in serum-free media without appreciably impeding cell growth or viability. The percentage of BSA scans identified by tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in stringently rinsed cells (average 13.2%) was significantly lower than either the moderately rinsed or no rinse cell treatments (average 35.2% and 45.2% respectively). Furthermore, the stringent wash treatment allowed the confident identification of a larger portion of the secretome of rat endothelial cells by LC-MS/MS.

Local RAS exists in rat gingival tissue and is capable of generating Ang II and other vasoactive peptides in vitro.

Objective Angiotensin II (AngII) has been shown to regulate angiogenesis and at high pathophysiological doses to cause vasoconstriction through the AngII receptor type 1 (AT1R). Angiotensin 1-7 (Ang-(1-7)) acting through the Mas1 receptor can act antagonistically to high pathophysiological levels of AngII by inducing vasodilation, while the effects of Ang-(1-7) signaling on angiogenesis are less defined. To complicate the matter, there is growing evidence that a subpressor dose of AngII produces phenotypes similar to Ang-(1-7). Approach and Results This study shows that low dose Ang-(1-7), acting through the Mas1 receptor, promotes angiogenesis and vasodilation similarly to a low, subpressor dose of AngII acting through AT1R. Additionally, we show through in vitro tube formation that Ang-(1-7) augments the angiogenic response in rat microvascular endothelial cells. Utilizing proteomic and genomic analyses, downstream components of Mas1 receptor signaling were identified, including Rho Family GTPases, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, protein kinase D1, mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), and extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) signaling. Further experimental antagonism of ERK1/2 and p38MAPK signaling inhibited endothelial tube formation and vasodilation when stimulated with equimolar, low doses of either AngII or Ang-(1-7). Conclusions These results significantly expand the known Ang-(1-7)/Mas1 receptor signaling pathway and demonstrate an important distinction between the pathological effects of elevated and suppressed AngII as compared to the beneficial effects of AngII normalization and Ang-(1-7) administration. The observed convergence of Ang-(1-7)/Mas1 and AngII/AT1R signaling at low ligand concentrations suggests a nuanced regulation in vasculature. These data also reinforce the importance of MAPK/ERK signaling in maintaining vascular function.