Effects of angiotensin receptor subtype inhibitors on plasma angiotensin clearance

The aim of this study was to determine whether angiotensin receptor subtypes play a role in angiotensin clearance from plasma. Angiotensin metabolic clearance rate was measured in rats by the constant infusion method. Increasing doses of angiotensin II were infused for 15 minutes, and blood was sampled for angiotensin II. The type 1 angiotensin II receptor antagonist losartan decreased the apparent metabolic clearance rate by > 50% at low-dose infusion, suggesting that type 1 angiotensin II receptors are involved in angiotensin II clearance from plasma. At higher angiotensin infusion rates, the-metabolic clearance rate of angiotensin was unaffected. To dissect the contribution of renin-generated angiotensin, additional experiments were performed in nephrectomized rats. In anephric rats, angiotensin clearance was unaffected by type 1 angiotensin II receptor inhibition. In contrast, the type 2 angiotensin II receptor ligand PD123319 in intact rats caused a > 50% increase in metabolic clearance rate of angiotensin at higher infusion rates (P < .05). In anephric rats, the type 2 angiotensin II receptor ligand alone or combined with type 1 receptor inhibition was without effect on the metabolic clearance rate or the T1/2 for angiotensin disappearance. These data argue against a role for type 1 or 2 angiotensin II receptors as clearance receptors. Increased clearance of angiotensin by type 2 receptor blockade in the presence but not the absence of kidneys suggests an alternative renal mechanism by which selective type 2 ligands may alter angiotensin effects.