Cardiac angiotensin II receptors are downregulated by chronic angiotensin II infusion in rats

We studied the effect of chronic (7 days) angiotensin II infusion in a subpressor (200 ng/kg per minute) dose on angiotensin II receptors in the left ventricle in rats. Infusion of angiotensin II caused an elevation in systolic blood pressure after 3 days, usually to values of about 150 mmHg, and the increase continued during the drug administration. The number of angiotensin II type 1 and angiotensin II type 2 receptors was significantly decreased by 20 - 30% in the angiotensin II-infused left ventricular membranes without affecting the affinity. Thus, these data suggest that angiotensin II may regulate the number of its own receptors in rat left ventricles.