Growth hormone regulates AT-1a angiotensin receptors in astrocytes

The hypothesis, based on previous in vivo data, that angiotensin AT1 receptors are regulated by GH or insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) has been investigated in this study using primary cultures of rat astrocytes as a model of AT1 receptor expression. At a dose of 1 ng/ml GH, there was an increase in AT1 density within 4 h and a maximum increase of 361 +/- 57% of the control value at 12 h. At 24 h, receptor density was still 176 +/- 23% that in the control. Astrocytes incubated with 1 ng/ml rat IGF-I for 24 h showed no change in AT1 receptor density. Reverse transcriptase-PCR was used to show that astrocytes express both the AT1a receptor subtype and, to a much lesser extent, the AT1b subtype. Treatment with 1 ng/ml recombinant bovine GH for 12 h increased the messenger RNA of the AT1a receptor by 170%, without affecting the AT1b receptor. Inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide and of transcription by the adenosine analog dichlororibofuranosylbenzimidazole both prevented the increase in AT1 receptor density following GH treatment, indicating that the action of GH is transcriptional. In summary, we have shown that GH up-regulates, directly and not via IGF-I, angiotensin receptors of the AT1a subtype in astrocytes by a transcriptional mechanism. The long latency of the response and the dependency on transcription relegate the AT1a gene to the class of GH-regulated genes identified as delayed stable genes. This mechanism of AT1 activation may be one way in which GH activates the renin-angiotensin system and initiates consequential cardiovascular and angiogenic effects.