Angiotensin-(ANG)-(1-7) is known by its central and peripheral actions, which mainly oppose the deleterious effects induced by accumulation of ANG II during pathophysiological conditions. In the present study we evaluated whether a chronic increase in ANG-(1-7) levels in the brain would modify the progression of hypertension. After DOCA-salt hypertension was induced for seven days, Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 14 days of intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of ANG-(1-7) (200 ng/h, DOCA-A7) or 0.9% sterile saline. As expected, on the 21st day, DOCA rats presented increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) (≈40%), and impaired baroreflex control of heart rate (HR) and baroreflex renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) in comparison with that in normotensive control rats (CTL). These changes were followed by an overactivity of the cardiac sympathetic tone and reduction of the cardiac parasympathetic tone, and exaggerated mRNA expression of collagen type I (≈9-fold) in the left ventricle. In contrast, DOCA rats treated with ANG-(1-7) ICV had an improvement of baroreflex control of HR, which was even higher than that in CTL, and a restoration of the baroreflex control of RSNA, the balance of cardiac autonomic tone, and normalized mRNA expression of collagen type I in the left ventricle. Furthermore, DOCA-A7 had MAP lowered significantly. These effects were not accompanied by significant circulating or cardiac changes in angiotensin levels. Taken together, our data show that chronic increase in ANG-(1-7) in the brain attenuates the development of DOCA-salt hypertension, highlighting the importance of this peptide in the brain for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors were developed based on proline-rich oligopeptides found in the venom of Bothrops jararaca (Bj) previously known as bradykinin-potentiating peptides (BPPs). However, the exact mechanism of action of BPPs remains unclear. The role of the ACE in the cardiovascular effects of two of naturally proline-rich oligopeptides (Bj-BPP-7a and Bj-BPP-10c) was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Bj-BPP-7a does not potentiate the cardiovascular response to bradykinin and is a weak inhibitor of ACE C and N sites (K_i = 40,000 and 70,000 nM, respectively), whereas Bj-BPP-10c is a strong bradykinin potentiator and inhibitor of the ACE C site (K_i = 0.5 versus 200 nM for N site). Strikingly, both peptides, in doses ranging from 0.47 to 71 nmol/kg, produced long-lasting reduction (>6 h) in the mean arterial pressure of conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats (maximal change, 45 ± 6 and 53 ± 6 mm Hg for Bj-BPP-7a and Bj-BPP-10c, respectively). The fall in blood pressure was accompanied by variable degrees of bradycardia. In keeping with the absence of relationship between ACE-inhibitory and antihypertensive activities, no changes in the pressor effect of angiotensin I or in the hypotensive effect of bradykinin were observed at the peak of the cardiovascular effects of both peptides. Our results indicate that the antihypertensive effect of two Bj-BPPs containing the motif Ile-Pro-Pro is unrelated to their ability for inhibiting ACE or potentiating bradykinin (BK), indicating as a major component ACE and BK-independent mechanisms. These results are in line with previous observations suggesting ACE inhibition-independent mechanisms for angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitor.

Purpose of Review The response to natural stressors involves both cardiac stimulation and vascular changes, primarily triggered by increases in sympathetic activity. These effects lead to immediate flow redistribution that provides metabolic support to priority target organs combined with other key physiological responses and cognitive strategies, against stressor challenges. This extremely well-orchestrated response that was developed over millions of years of evolution is presently being challenged, over a short period of time. In this short review, we discuss the neurogenic background for the origin of emotional stress-induced hypertension, focusing on sympathetic pathways from related findings in humans and animals. Recent Findings The urban environment offers a variety of psychological stressors. Real or anticipatory, emotional stressors may increase baseline sympathetic activity. From routine day-to-day traffic stress to job-related anxiety, chronic or abnormal increases in sympathetic activity caused by emotional stressors can lead to cardiovascular events, including cardiac arrhythmias, increases in blood pressure and even sudden death. Among the various alterations proposed, chronic stress could modify neuroglial circuits or compromise antioxidant systems that may alter the responsiveness of neurons to stressful stimuli. These phenomena lead to increases in sympathetic activity, hypertension and consequent cardiovascular diseases. Summary The link between anxiety, emotional stress, and hypertension may result from an altered neuronal firing rate in central pathways controlling sympathetic activity. The participation of neuroglial and oxidative mechanisms in altered neuronal function is primarily involved in enhanced sympathetic outflow. The significance of the insular cortex-dorsomedial hypothalamic pathway in the evolution of enhanced overall sympathetic outflow is discussed.

Recent data indicate the brain angiotensin-converting enzyme/ANG II/AT₁ receptor axis enhances emotional stress responses. In this study, we investigated whether its counterregulatory axis, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)/ANG-(1–7)/Mas axis, attenuate the cardiovascular responses to acute emotional stress. In conscious male Wistar rats, the tachycardia induced by acute stress (air jet 10 l/min) was attenuated by intravenous injection of ANG-(1–7) [Δ heart rate (HR): saline 136 ± 22 vs. ANG-(1–7) 61 ± 25 beats/min; P < 0.05]. Peripheral injection of the ACE2 activator compound, XNT, abolished the tachycardia induced by acute stress. We found a similar effect after intracerebroventricular injections of either ANG-(1–7) or XNT. Under urethane anesthesia, the tachycardia evoked by the beta-adrenergic agonist was markedly reduced by ANG-(1–7) [ΔHR: saline 100 ± 16 vs. ANG-(1–7) 18 ± 15 beats/min; P < 0.05]. The increase in renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) evoked by isoproterenol was also abolished after the treatment with ANG-(1–7) [ΔRSNA: saline 39% vs. ANG-(1–7) −23%; P < 0.05]. The tachycardia evoked by disinhibition of dorsomedial hypothalamus neurons, a key nucleus for the cardiovascular response to emotional stress, was reduced by ∼45% after intravenous injection of ANG-(1–7). In cardiomyocyte, the incubation with ANG-(1–7) (1 μM) markedly attenuated the increases in beating rate induced by isoproterenol. Our data show that activation of the ACE2/ANG-(1–7)/Mas axis attenuates stress-induced tachycardia. This effect might be either via the central nervous system reducing anxiety level and/or interfering with the positive chronotropy mediated by activation of cardiac β adrenergic receptors. Therefore, ANG-(1–7) might contribute to reduce the sympathetic load to the heart during situations of emotional stress, reducing the cardiovascular risk.