Angiotensin I modulates Ca-transport systems in the rat heart through angiotensin II

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of angiotensin I (Ang I) treatment in vivo on two major Ca-transport systems-the L-type voltage dependent calcium channel (L-VDCC) and the Na/Ca exchanger in rat heart. For our experiments we used four groups of rats, treated differently with saline, Ang I, the ACE inhibitor enalapril and/or combination of both for 6 days, every 24 h. We observed an increase in the activity, and also in mRNA expression of the Na/Ca exchanger, after repeated administration of Ang I in vivo. The maximal binding capacity of Ca-antagonist PN 200-110, which binds to the alpha 1 subunit of the L-VDCC was elevated from 0.8-1.85 pg/mg protein. mRNA expression of the voltage-dependent calcium channels of L-type system was also upregulated by Ang I administration, but not when enalapril was applied simultaneously with Ang I. These results demonstrate that in vivo application of the Ang I significantly modulates not only the activity, but also expression of the Na/Ca exchanger and the L-VDCC in rat hearts through angiotensin II (Ang II). Since in the in vitro experiments on the isolated cardiomyocytes, Ang II (100 nM) increased the calcium uptake after depolarization, and the AT1 receptor agonist losartan prevented this increase, we assume that this regulation might involve the AT1 receptors.