Angiotensin II receptors in rabbit vascular grafts.

New Zealand White rabbits were used as a model of autologous venous bypass grafting. A section of jugular vein was sutured into the divided common carotid artery. The animals were euthanized one month after surgery. At that time histopathology showed myointimal thickening of the graft segments. Angiotensin II receptor assays showed that the AT1 receptor was present in the grafts, concentrated in the intima. These localized receptors were shown to be similar to the prototypic vascular AT1 receptor through the use of the specific antagonist DuP 753.