Local stress, not systemic factors, regulate gene expression of the cardiac renin-angiotensin system in vivo: A comprehensive study of all its components in the dog

摘要

Cardiac hypertrophy is associated with al- tered expression of the components of the cardiac renin- angiotensin system (RAS). While in vitro data suggest that local mechanical stimuli serve as important regulatory mod- ulators of cardiac RAS activity, no in vivo studies have so far corroborated these observations. The aims of this study were to (i) examine the respective influence of local, mechanical versus systemic, soluble factors on the modulation of cardiac RAS gene expression in vivo; (ii) measure gene expression of all known components of the RAS simultaneously; and (iii) establish sequence information and an assay system for the RAS of the dog, one of the most important model organisms in cardiovascular research.