Sp1 decoy oligodeoxynucleotide decreases angiotensin receptor expression and blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The transcriptional factor Sp1 is associated with GC-rich promoters and involved in basal promoter activity. A GC-box-related sequence is located within the -58 to -34 base pair region of the angiotensin type 1 receptor gene promoter. We examined whether Sp1 in the hypothalamus was increased in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and whether inhibition of Sp1 binding sites suppressed angiotensin type 1 receptor expression and thus decreased blood pressure in SHR.