Although generally associated with cardiovascular regulation, angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1aR) blockade in mouse models and humans has also been associated with enhanced fear extinction and decreased post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, respectively. The mechanisms mediating these effects remain unknown, but may involve alterations in the activities of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-expressing cells, which are known to be involved in fear regulation. To test the hypothesis that AT1aR signaling in CRFergic neurons is involved in conditioned fear expression, we generated and characterized a conditional knockout mouse strain with a deletion of the AT1aR gene from its CRF-releasing cells (CRF-AT1aR(−/−)). These mice exhibit normal baseline heart rate, blood pressure, anxiety, and locomotion, and freeze at normal levels during acquisition of auditory fear conditioning. However, CRF-AT1aR(−/−) mice exhibit less freezing than wild type mice during tests of conditioned fear expression—an effect that may be caused by a decrease in the consolidation of fear memory. These results suggest that central AT1R activity in CRF-expressing cells plays a role in the expression of conditioned fear, and identify CRFergic cells as a population on which AT1R antagonists may act to modulate fear extinction.

This protocol describes receptor binding patterns for Angiotensin II (Ang II) in the rat brain using a radioligand specific for Ang II receptors to perform receptor autoradiographic mapping. Tissue specimens are harvested and stored at -80 °C. A cryostat is used to coronally section the tissue (brain) and thaw-mount the sections onto charged slides. The slide-mounted tissue sections are incubated in (125)I-SI-Ang II to radiolabel Ang II receptors. Adjacent slides are separated into two sets: 'non-specific binding' (NSP) in the presence of a receptor saturating concentration of non-radiolabeled Ang II, or an AT1 Ang II receptor subtype (AT1R) selective Ang II receptor antagonist, and 'total binding' with no AT1R antagonist. A saturating concentration of AT2 Ang II receptor subtype (AT2R) antagonist (PD123319, 10 µM) is also present in the incubation buffer to limit (125)I-SI-Ang II binding to the AT1R subtype. During a 30 min pre-incubation at ~22 °C, NSP slides are exposed to 10 µM PD123319 and losartan, while 'total binding' slides are exposed to 10 µM PD123319. Slides are then incubated with (125)I-SI-Ang II in the presence of PD123319 for 'total binding', and PD123319 and losartan for NSP in assay buffer, followed by several 'washes' in buffer, and water to remove salt and non-specifically bound radioligand. The slides are dried using blow-dryers, then exposed to autoradiography film using a specialized film and cassette. The film is developed and the images are scanned into a computer for visual and quantitative densitometry using a proprietary imaging system and a spreadsheet. An additional set of slides are thionin-stained for histological comparisons. The advantage of using receptor autoradiography is the ability to visualize Ang II receptors in situ, within a section of a tissue specimen, and anatomically identify the region of the tissue by comparing it to an adjacent histological reference section.

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This protocol describes receptor binding patterns for Angiotensin II (Ang II) in the rat brain using a radioligand specific for Ang II receptors to perform receptor autoradiographic mapping. Tissue specimens are harvested and stored at -80 °C. A cryostat is used to coronally section the tissue (brain) and thaw-mount the sections onto charged slides. The slide-mounted tissue sections are incubated in 125 I-SI-Ang II in the presence of PD123319 for 'total binding', and PD123319 and losartan for NSP in assay buffer, followed by several 'washes' in buffer, and water to remove salt and non-specifically bound radioligand. The slides are dried using blow-dryers, then exposed to autoradiography film using a specialized film and cassette. The film is developed and the images are scanned into a computer for visual and quantitative densitometry using a proprietary imaging system and a spreadsheet. An additional set of slides are thionin-stained for histological comparisons.The advantage of using receptor autoradiography is the ability to visualize Ang II receptors in situ, within a section of a tissue specimen, and anatomically identify the region of the tissue by comparing it to an adjacent histological reference section. Video LinkThe video component of this article can be found at http://www.jove.com/video/53866/ . This intrabrain generated Ang II is the agonist for the brain AT 1 and AT 2 receptors that are isolated from blood-borne Ang II.

Despite the plethora of data indicating beneficial effects of angiotensin (1-7) (Ang 1-7) on the cardiovascular system, its putative receptor, Mas, has not been characterized in tissue membrane preparations other than single concentration demonstrations of the localization of 125 I-Ang 1-7 binding sites in rat kidney. This does not indicate the specificity of 125 I-Ang 1-7 binding nor does it indicate the actual densities of the binding sites, i.e., B max (fmoles/mg tissue), or dissociation constant (K D ) to indicate binding affinity of 125 I-Ang 1-7 for its putative receptor. To characterize 125 I-Ang 1-7 binding in the kidney we prepared a low specific activity, monoradioiodinated Ang 1-7 using a 1:19 mix of 125 iodine : 127 iodine which allows for assessment of the B max and K D with concentrations of radioligand up to 100 nM. Frozen kidneys from adult male albino rats were dissected and homogenized in water and the membranes were precipitated by centrifugation at 48 kxG. Membranes were resuspended in Tris:MgCl 2 (50:1) pH 7.2 and incubated with 12 concentrations of 125/127 I-Ang 1-7 ranging from ~3-100 nM for 30 min at 22 C, after which bound 125/127 I-Ang 1-7 was resolved from unbound 125/127 I-Ang 1-7 by filtration and measured with a gamma counter. Specific binding (defined as 100 μM Ang 1-7 displaceable binding) of 125/127 I-Ang 1-7 showed a moderate binding affinity (K D = 14.7 ± 1.8 nM) and binding site density (B max = 24.5 ± 9.9 fmoles/mg initial wet weight). The B max value tended to be lower than that in the liver (B max = 62.3 ± 20.1 fmoles/mg initial wet weight) and the K D value was significantly greater (lower affinity) than that in the liver ( K D = 5.7 ± 0.6 nM, p = 0.0085). Of note, competition for 125/127 I-Ang 1-7 binding Ang 1-7 indicated that the IC 50 for Ang 1-7 competition for 125/127 I-Ang 1-7 binding was 42.5 μM. Moreover, the ability of a variety of angiotensin peptides to inhibit 125/127 I-Ang 1-7 binding at 100 μM, Ang 1-7 was less potent that the other angiotensin peptides: Ang III > Ang II > Ang I ~ Ang IV > Ang 2-7 > Ang 1-7 ~ Ang 3-7. These studies suggest that the binding site for 125/127 I-Ang 1-7 is not specific for the putative Ang 1-7 receptor mas, and may represent a low affinity binding to the AT 1 or AT 2 receptor