Proliferative effects of angiotensin II and endothelin-1 on guinea pig gingival fibroblast cells in culture

We investigated whether phenytoin (PHT) and nifedipine (NIF) induce angiotensin II (Ang II) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) generation by cultured gingival fibroblasts derived from guinea pigs and whether Ang II and ET-1 induce proliferation of these cells. Immunohistochemical experiments showed that PHT (250 nM) and NIF (250 nM) increased the immunostaining intensities of immunoreactive Ang II and ET-1 (IRET-1) in these cells. Captopril (3 muM), an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, reduced these enhanced intensities to control levels. Ang II (100 nM) enhanced the immunostaining intensity of IRET-1. PHT (250 nM) and NIF (250 nM)-induced cell proliferation. Both PHT- and NIF-induced proliferation was inhibited by captopril (3 muM). Ang II (100 nM) and ET-1 (100 nM) also induced cell proliferation. Ang II-induced proliferation was inhibited by CV11974 (1 muM), an AT(1) receptor antagonist and saralasin (1 muM), an AT(1)/AT(2) receptor antagonist, but not by PD123,319 (1 muM), an AT(1) receptor antagonist. ET-1-induced proliferation was inhibited by BQ123 (10 muM), an ETA receptor antagonist, but not by BQ788 (1 muM), an ETB receptor antagonist. These findings suggest that PHT- and NIF-induced gingival fibroblast proliferation is mediated indirectly through the induction of Ang II and ET-1 and probably mediated through AT(1) and ETA receptors present in or on gingival fibroblasts. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Inc.