Angiotensin II effects on second messengers involved in prolactin secretion are mediated by AT1 receptor in anterior pituitary cells.

The two forms of angiotensin II (Ang II) receptors, AT1 and AT2 subtypes, have been demonstrated in many other cells beside the anterior pituitary cells. Attempting to investigate the subtype(s) of Ang II receptors implicated in the multiple transduction mechanisms involved in Ang II stimulation of prolactin (PRL) release by lactotropes, we studied the effect of selective nonpeptidergic Ang II antagonists on the PRL release, adenylate cyclase (AC), and phospholipase C activities. In intact cells, the AT1 antagonist DuP753 blocked Ang II-induced PRL release, reversed in a dose dependent manner Ang II-evoked inositol phosphates production, and inhibited completely the PLC and protein kinase C (PKC) dependent cAMP accumulation induced by Ang II. In membrane preparations, the Ang II receptors were negatively coupled to AC. The AT1 antagonist blocked in a dose dependent manner the inhibitory effect of Ang II on cAMP production. In intact cells, the negative coupling of Ang II receptor with AC was observed only when PKC was down regulated by long term 12-O-tetradecanolylphorbol-13-acetate pretreatment. Ang II was able to inhibit vasoactive intestinal peptide-induced cAMP accumulation, a response which was also prevented by DuP753. The different coupling of Ang II receptor described above implicated only the AT1 type receptor since the AT2 antagonists (PD123177 and PD123319) were ineffective at any doses tested (10(-8) to 10(-5) M). The obtained results indicate that the regulation of PRL secretion involves the AT1 receptor subtype and that this receptor might be coupled to multiple effectors.