We previously demonstrated that mice which overexpress human renin and angiotensinogen (R+A+) show enhanced cerebral damage in both in vivo and in vitro experimental ischemia models. Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) counteracts the effects of angiotensin (Ang-II) by transforming it into Ang-(1-7), thus reducing the ligand for the AT1 receptor and increasing stimulation of the Mas receptor. Triple transgenic mice, SARA, which specifically overexpress ACE2 in neurons of R+A+ mice were used to study the role of ACE2 in ischemic stroke using oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) of brain slices as an in vitro model. We examined tissue swelling, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and cell death in cerebral cortex (CX) and the hippocampal CA1 region during OGD. Expression levels of NADPH oxidase isoforms, Nox2 and Nox4 were measured using western blots. Results show that SARA mice and R+A+ mice treated with the Mas receptor agonist Ang-(1-7) had less swelling, cell death, and ROS production in CX and CA1 areas compared to those in R+A+ animals. Treatment of slices from SARA mice with the Mas antagonist A779 eliminated this protection. Finally, western blots revealed less Nox2 and Nox4 expression in SARA mice compared with R+A+ mice both before and after OGD. We suggest that reduced brain swelling and cell death observed in SARA animals exposed to OGD results from diminished ROS production coupled with lower expression of NADPH oxidases. Thus, the ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/Mas receptor pathway plays a protective role in brain ischemic damage by counteracting the detrimental effects of Ang-II-induced ROS production.

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