Airway remodelling occurs in chronic asthma. Angiotensin II promotes growth in cardiovascular remodelling. Since the renin–angiotensin system is activated in acute severe asthma, we hypothesized that angiotensin II has a role in airway remodelling. A total of 14 young male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups. All received 2-week infusions of bromodeoxyuridine, and the experimental group also received angiotensin II. Blood pressure rose in the angiotensin II-infused group [mean levels: pre-infusion, 134.9 (S.D. 14.7) mmHg; post-infusion, 197.1 (22.5) mmHg], and expression of renin mRNA in the renal juxtaglomerular cells was suppressed in these animals. The proportion of bromodeoxyuridine-positive cell nuclei was no different in the airways of control and angiotensin II-infused animals for smooth muscle [mean bromodeoxyuridine index: control, 8.6% (S.E.M. 1.1%); angiotensin II, 9.3% (1.1%)], epithelium [control, 16.7% (2.3%); angiotensin II, 16.0% (2.2%)] and adventitia [control, 26.4% (2.2%); angiotensin II, 26.6% (2.4%)]. In the arteries, bromodeoxyuridine indices were higher in the angiotensin II-infused rats [18.4% (2.3%)] than in the control animals [9.4% (2.8%)], but no difference was found in the veins [12% (2.9%) and 11.4% (2.6%) respectively]. Morphometry of the airway wall and mesenteric vasculature was no different in the two groups. Therefore a 2-week infusion of angiotensin II increases blood pressure and DNA synthesis in the mesenteric arteries, but does not cause airway remodelling, in the rat.
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Research Article|
November 19 1999
Effects of angiotensin II on remodelling of the airway and the vasculature in the rat
Scott G. RAMSAY;
*Department of Respiratory Medicine, West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust, Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.
Correspondence: Dr Scott G. Ramsay, Department of Medicine For The Elderly, Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS Trust, 84 Castle Street, Glasgow G4 0SF, Scotland, U.K. (e-mail [email protected]).
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Christopher J. KENYON;
Christopher J. KENYON
†University Department of Medicine, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K.
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Niall WHYTE;
Niall WHYTE
‡Department of Pathology, West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust, Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.
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Ian C. MCKAY;
Ian C. MCKAY
§Department of Immunology, West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust, Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.
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Neil C. THOMSON;
Neil C. THOMSON
*Department of Respiratory Medicine, West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust, Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.
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George B. M. LINDOP
George B. M. LINDOP
‡Department of Pathology, West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust, Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
March 31 1999
Revision Received:
June 21 1999
Accepted:
August 10 1999
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society and the Medical Research Society © 2000
2000
Clin Sci (Lond) (2000) 98 (1): 1–7.
Article history
Received:
March 31 1999
Revision Received:
June 21 1999
Accepted:
August 10 1999
Citation
Scott G. RAMSAY, Christopher J. KENYON, Niall WHYTE, Ian C. MCKAY, Neil C. THOMSON, George B. M. LINDOP; Effects of angiotensin II on remodelling of the airway and the vasculature in the rat. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 January 2000; 98 (1): 1–7. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/cs0980001
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