The use of antisense oligonucleotides to establish autocrine angiotensin growth effects in human neuroblastoma and mesangial cells.

Local renin-angiotensin systems (RAS) exist in many cell types, and angiotensin II (AII) has growth regulatory effects in some tissues. We demonstrated the presence of angiotensinogen (ANG) mRNA in cultured human mesangial cells (MC) and SHSY-5Y human neuroblastoma cells using reverse transcription and the polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) followed by hybridization to a human ANG-specific oligonucleotide probe. We speculated, therefore, that AII might act in an autocrine or paracrine fashion to regulate the growth of mesangial cells and neuroblastoma cells. Sense and antisense oligonucleotides were next synthesized complementary to the ANG transcription start site. Antisense but not sense oligonucleotides decreased [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA by both MC and neuroblastoma cells. Growth of antisense oligonucleotide-treated cells was restored to control levels by the addition of AII but not by the addition of basic fibroblast growth factor. Neither oligonucleotide affected [3H]thymidine incorporation in mouse L929 cells. These data indicate that locally produced AII can act in an autocrine or paracrine fashion to alter the growth of human mesangial and neuroblastoma cells. Therefore, they suggest a role for local RAS in the pathogenesis of growth abnormalities in the cardiovascular system as well as in some forms of malignancy.