Angiotensin-(1-12) is an alternate substrate for angiotensin peptide production in the heart

Identification of angiotensin-(1-12) as an intermediate precursor derived directly from angiotensinogen led us to explore whether the heart has the capacity to process angiotensin-(1-12) into biologically active angiotensin peptides. The generation of angiotensin I, angiotensin II, and angiotensin-(1-7) from exogenous angiotensin-(1-12) was evaluated in the effluent of isolated perfused hearts mounted on a Langendorff apparatus in three normotensive and two hypertensive strains: Sprague-Dawley, Lewis, congenic mRen2.Lewis, Wistar-Kyoto, and spontaneously hypertensive rats. Hearts were perfused with Krebs solution for 60 min before and after the addition of angiotensin-(1-12) (10 nmol/l). Angiotensin-(1-12) caused the rapid appearance of both angiotensin I and angiotensin II in the perfusate that peaked between 30 and 60 min of recirculation. Production of angiotensin-(1-7) from exogenous angiotensin-(1-12) rose steadily over the course of the 60-min experiment. These data directly demonstrate that angiotensin-(1-12) is a substrate for the formation of angiotensin peptides in cardiac tissue. This finding further suggests that this angiotensinogen-derived product is a previously unrecognized important precursor peptide to the renin-angiotensin system cascade.