ALDOSTERONE SYNTHASE GENE-REGULATION BY ANGIOTENSIN

Excessive aldosterone secretion in some hypertensive patients may resu lt from abnormal aldosterone synthase (AS) gene regulation in response to changes in dietary sodium intake. We have utilized NCI-H295 cells, which exhibit stable angiotensin-induced aldosterone secretion, for t ransient transfections with murine AS/human growth hormone reporter co nstructs. An angiotensin response element increasing AS gene transcrip tion during angiotensin stimulation appears to reside within the initi al 425 nt of the murine AS promoter. We also noted the possible presen ce of a negatively-acting cis element between nt -425 and -1500. These studies provide an initial step toward characterizing molecular mecha nisms by which angiotensin regulates AS gene transcription.