A Renin-like Activity in Pineal Gland and Hypophysis

Hăulică, I; Brănișteanu, Dumitru; Roşca, V; Stratone, A; Berbeleu, V; Balan, Gheorghe G.; Ionescu, Lidia

doi:10.1210/endo-96-2-508

Cited by 53 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…The results are partly in agreement with data reported by Haulica et al (21), who found that an acute intravenous NaCl load reduced renin activity in the pineal gland and in the pituitary. They also reported that this maneuver stimulated renin activity in cortex, hypothalamus, and brain stem, a result inconsistent with our findings.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

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Distribution of renin activity and angiotensinogen in rat brain. Effects of dietary sodium chloride intake on brain renin.

Genain¹,

Loon²,

Kotchen³

1985

J. Clin. Invest.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the biochemistry and the regulation of the brain renin-angiotensin system in the Sprague-Dawley rat. Renin activity and angiotensinogen concentrations (direct and indirect radioimmunoassays) were measured in several brain areas and in neuroendocrine glands. Regional renin activities were measured in separate groups of rats on high and low NaCl diets. Mean tissue renin activities ranged from 2.2±0.6 to 54.4±19.7 fmol/mg protein per h (mean of 7±SD), with the highest amounts in pineal, pituitary, and ponsmedulla. NaCl depletion increased renin activity in selected regions; based on estimates of residual plasma contamination (despite perfusion of brains with saline), increased renin activity of pineal gland and posterior pituitary was attributed to higher plasma renin. To eliminate contamination by plasma renin, 16-h-nephrectomized rats were also studied. In anephric rats, NaCl depletion increased renin activity by 92% in olfactory bulbs and by 97% in anterior pituitary compared with NaCI-replete state. These elevations could not be accounted for by hyperreninemia. Brain renin activity was low and was unaffected by dietary NaCl in amygdala, hypothalamus, striatum, frontal cortex, and cerebellum. In contrast to renin, highest angiotensinogen concentrations were measured in hypothalamus and cerebellum. Overall, angiotensinogen measurements with the direct and the indirect assays were highly correlated (n = 56, r = 0.96, P < 0.001). We conclude that (a) NaCl deprivation increases renin in olfactory bulbs and anterior pituitary of the rat, unrelated to contamination by plasma renin; and (b) the existence of angiotensinogen, the precursor of angiotensins, is demonstrated by direct radioimmunoassay throughout the brain and in neuroendocrine glands.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Renin activity was widely present in brain, although 8 (19)(20)(21) and hogs (9). The presence of renin activity in the posterior pituitary has been reported in rats (19,20), but not in hogs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Distribution of renin activity and angiotensinogen in rat brain. Effects of dietary sodium chloride intake on brain renin.

Genain¹,

Loon²,

Kotchen³

1985

J. Clin. Invest.

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“…Renin-like activities have been observed in various endocrine tissues (16,17). However, whether such activities are due to specific renin or to nonspecific proteolytic activity has been the subject ofmuch discussion.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Slater et aL (4) reported immunoreactive renin in both anterior and posterior lobes of human pituitary by an immunohistochemical technique. Haulica et aL (1) reported that the renin-like activity in the posterior lobe of rat pituitary is three times higher than that in the anterior lobe. Day and Reid (2), and Hackenthal et al (6), however, suggested that the renin-like activity in pituitary may be cathepsin D.…”

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confidence: 97%

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Immunohistochemical localization of renin in luteinizing hormone-producing cells of rat pituitary.

Naruse¹,

Takii²,

Inagami³

1981

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The location of renin (EC 3.4.99.19) in rat pituitary was determined by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunohistochemical technique. By using antisera prepared with purified rat renal renin, an immunoreactive substance was localized within ovoid cells scattered throughout the anterior pituitary. These cells were shown to be luteinizing hormone-producing cells by staining with anti-luteinizing hormone antisera in adjacent sections. By using the double staining method, the renin-containing cells were differentiated from cells containing corticotropin, thyrotropin, growth hormone (somatotropin), and prolactin (mammotropin). These results suggest a possible local role for renin in the anterior pituitary.Renin (EC 3.4.99.19) (5), while a large amount ofprotease with nonspecific renin-like activity is found in both the anterior and the posterior lobes (unpublished data). Furthermore, in our immunohistochemical studies of the pituitary of the mouse (7) and rat (8), renin-specific staining was observed only in the anterior lobes.A similar lack of agreement is apparent among previous reports with respect to the intrahypophysial localization of angiotensin (9, 10). The consideration of the physiological function of a renin-angiotensin system in the pituitary has been largely focused on the posterior pituitary, presumably in association with the well-known effect of angiotensin II on vasopressin release (11), though the effect may not be exerted in the pituitary. The effect ofangiotensin II on the release ofadrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH; corticotropin) from the anterior pituitary is also known (12), but the physiological role ofpituitary renin has remained unclear.With the objectives of resolving the existing controversies concerning the location of renin and obtaining clues for the physiological significance of renin in the pituitary, we have applied an immunohistochemical staining technique for the identification of the renin-containing cells in the pituitary.MATERIALS AND METHODS Antisera. Specific antibodies to rat renin were produced in Dutch Belted rabbits by using pure rat renin as antigen. The pure renin was prepared by a published method (13). The enzyme preparation satisfied multiple criteria ofpurity, which included single bands upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and double immunodiffusion and symmetric chromatographic elution patterns. This preparation (1.0 mg) was conjugated to 0.5 mg of tetanus toxoid with 25 ,ug of water-soluble carbodiimide and exhaustively dialyzed, and then an aliquot containing 80 ug of renin was mixed with an equal volume of complete Freund's adjuvant and injected intradermally at multiple sites in the back ofeach rabbit. After six biweekly boosters, each with the conjugate equivalent of 10 ,.g of renin, antisera were collected. Tested at dilutions greater than 1:500, these antibodies did not crossreact with human renin or rat cathepsin. Used at 1:2000 dilution for immunohistochemical staining of ra...

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The renin‐angiotensin system in the rat anterior pituitary: Colocalization of renin and angiotensin II in gonadotrophs

1985

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Discovery of components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the adenohypophysis of several species has prompted speculation concerning the location and possible function of a pituitary RAS. Although both renin and angiotensin I1 have been localized within the rat adenohypophysis, their colocalization has not been previously demonstrated within the same cells. In the present study, immunohistochemical staining by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique was used to demonstrate the coexistence of renin and angiotensin I1 in adenohypophyseal cells identified morphologically and immunocytochemically as gonadotrophs. These results support the existence of an adenohypophyseal RAS, at least part of which is under intracellular control. The influence of this system on control of fluid balance, blood pressure, and the secretion of other hypophyseal hormones is discussed.Renin (EC 3.4.99.19) is the primary enzyme in the system which produces the potent vasoconstrictor angiotensin I1 from the prohormone angiotensinogen. The components of this cascade (angiotensinogen, renin, angiotensin I (AI)) angiotensin-coverting enzyme, angiotensin I1 (AII)) are collectively referred to as the reninangiotensin system (RAS). Reninlike or immunosuppressible renin activity has been detected biochemically in the pituitary gland of rat (Haulica et al., 1975; Naruse et al., 19851, dog (Day and Reid, 1976), human (Haulica et al., 1977;Slater et al., 1980), and hog . In addition, renin has been identified immunocytochemically in the pituitary of rat Naruse et al., 1981), mouse , and human (Slater et al., 1980). Renin-positive cells of the rat pituitary have been identified as luteinizing-hormone (LH)-containing gonadotrophs (Naruse et al., 1981).The presence of A n has also been reported in the pituitary although there remains some controversy concerning its distribution. Ganten et al. (1978) presence of a complete or near-complete RAS in these cells. This system may play an important role in the control of blood pressure and fluid regulation. The purpose of the present study was, therefore, to test the above hypothesis by demonstrating the coexistence of renin and A11 in the same cells. This was attempted by analysis of serial sections immunostained for renin and A11 and by double-staining colocalization of these substances with pituitary hormones. MATERIALS AND METHODS Tissue PreparationsMale Sprague-Dawley rats (200-300 gm) were perfused 48 hours following bilateral nephrectomy. Under nembutal anesthesia the animals were thoroughly perfused via the left ventricle with Tyrode's buffer (pH 7.2) containing 0.8% NaCl, 0.02% KC1,0.026% CaCl2 *2H20, 0.01% MgC12.6H20, 0.1% NaHC03, 0.005% NaH2P04, 0.1% D-glucose, and 0.2% MgS04.7H20. The rats were then perfused with 200 ml cold (4°C) Perfix (Fisher, Pittsburg, PA). The pituitaries were quickly removed and fixed by immersion in Perfix for an additional 3 hours followed by dehydration in the standard ethanol/ xylene series and then embedded in paraffin. Serial sections were cut at...

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A Renin-like Activity in Pineal Gland and Hypophysis

Cited by 53 publications

References 0 publications

Distribution of renin activity and angiotensinogen in rat brain. Effects of dietary sodium chloride intake on brain renin.

Distribution of renin activity and angiotensinogen in rat brain. Effects of dietary sodium chloride intake on brain renin.

Immunohistochemical localization of renin in luteinizing hormone-producing cells of rat pituitary.

The renin‐angiotensin system in the rat anterior pituitary: Colocalization of renin and angiotensin II in gonadotrophs

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