Effect of angiotensin II on aldosterone and its precursor steroid production in adrenal zona glomerulosa cells from heparin-treated rats

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Abstract
To assess the nature of the heparin-induced aldosterone deficiency, we investigated the stimulatory effect of angiotensin II (All) on aldosterone and its precursor steroids in adrenal zona glomerulosa cells from heparin-treated rats compared with those in the cells from vehicle-treated rats. Heparin-treated rats had low plasma aldosterone levels, high plasma renin activity and plasma All levels, and normal plasma corticosterone level 6 weeks after the treatment (1500 IU/kg, twice daily). Basal aldosterone production, when corrected to a uniform number of cells per group, was similar in the cells from heparin- and vehicle-treated rats. The cells from heparin-treated rats had a less sensitive and lower response of aldosterone production to All; an increase by 4 orders of magnitude in the threshold dose for All and a decrease in the maximum All-stimulated level. The maximum All-stimulated levels, but not the basal levels, of pregnenolone, corticosterone and 18-OHB production were low in the cells from heparin-treated rats. ACTH caused a similar stimulatory effect on aldosterone production in the cells from heparin- and vehicle-treated rats. The cells from heparin-treated rats had a less sensitive and lower response of aldosterone production to potassium; an increase by one order of magnitude in the threshold dose for potassium and a decrease in the maximum potassium-stimulated level, presumably because of the glomerulosa hyporesponsivness to AII. These results suggest that our heparin-treated rats have selective impairment of adrenal zona glomerulosa cells,