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Evidence of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 in Mouse Brain: in situ Hybridization and Mass Spectrometry Studies
Author(s) -
Chen Yanfang,
Cunha Tatiana,
Elased Khalid,
Morris Mariana
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a688-a
Subject(s) - in situ hybridization , hypothalamus , endocrinology , locus coeruleus , medicine , renin–angiotensin system , angiotensin converting enzyme 2 , biology , angiotensin ii , central nervous system , chemistry , messenger rna , blood pressure , biochemistry , infectious disease (medical specialty) , gene , disease , covid-19
Angiotensin (Ang) converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a newly discovered component of renin‐angiotensin system (RAS), which converts Ang II to Ang 1–7. While Ang II in central nerve system (CNS) has been intensively investigated, little has been reported for the distribution of brain ACE2/Ang 1–7, as well as its role in modulating neurological and cardiovascular function. Aim of this study was to determine the ACE2 distribution in mouse brain using two different methods at mRNA and protein level respectively: in situ hybridization (ISH) with 35 S‐labeled probe specific for mouse ACE2 to localize the mRNA expression, and a new mass spectrometric (MS) assay to evaluate ACE2 activity. ISH showed that ACE2 mRNA is widely expression in brain regions which related to blood pressure and autonomic regulatory centers, such as in hypothalamus paraventricular nucleus (PVN), median preoptic (MnPO), anterior third ventricle (AV3V), and in brain stem solitary tract/dorsal vagal neuron (NTS/DVN) and locus coeruleus (LC). MS assay showed that ACE2 activity in tissue extracts from hypothalamus, brain stem, cortex and hippocampus. ACE2 activity in tissue extract from kidney was served as a positive control. The proteolytic activity of ACE2 was blocked in the present of EDTA and specific ACE2 inhibitor MLN‐4760. This study demonstrates the mRNA expression and enzyme activity of ACE2 in the brain, which suggests that ACE2/Ang 1–7 pathway could be another important component of central RAS in regulating cardiovascular function. Further studies are deserved on the physiological role as well as the pathophysiological significance of brain ACE2/Ang 1–7 in hypertension and stroke.