Postjunctional regulation by angiotensin II of alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated pressor responses in the rat

The effects of angiotensin II on the vasopressor responses to the selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist, phenylephrine, in intact and sympathectomized rats were investigated. Infusion of angiotensin II at subpressor doses significantly enhanced the pressor effects of phenylephrine in intact rats. We also found that in the chemically sympathectomized rat, where prejunctional sympathetic function is impaired, the effects of angiotensin II infusion on the pressor effects of phenylephrine were similar to those obtained in intact rats. Furthermore, pretreatment with valsartan ((S)-N-valeryl-N-([2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)biphenyl-4-yl]-methyl)-val ine), a new selective angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonist, antagonized the effects of angiotensin II on phenylephrine-mediated pressor responses, whereas the administration of the selective angiotensin AT2 receptor antagonist, PD 123319 (1-[[4-(dimethylamino)-3-methylphenyl]-methyl]-5-(diphenylacetyl)- 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]-pyridine-6-carboxylic acid, ditriflouroacetate, monohydrate), injected in bolus doses of 100 micrograms/kg, did not antagonize the enhancing effect of angiotensin II. Collectively, these data suggest that angiotensin II modulates the response to phenylephrine primarily at a postjunctional level through the activation of angiotensin AT1 receptors and that the suggested prejunctional facilitation mediated by angiotensin receptors is quantitatively much less important in the intact animal.