Angiotensin II induces peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma in PC12W cells via angiotensin type 2 receptor activation

The angiotensin type 2 (AT2) receptor has been previously demonstrated to exert neuroprotective actions possibly by inducing neuronal cell differentiation involving neurite outgrowth. The nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is an important transcriptional regulator of cell differentiation. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether PPARγ is involved in AT2‐receptor‐mediated morphological neuronal cell differentiation. To investigate AT2‐receptor‐mediated morphological neuronal cell differentiation, rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12W cells) expressing AT2 but not AT1 receptors, were stimulated with angiotensin II (Ang II, 100 nmol/L) ± the PPARγ antagonists GW9662 (3 µmol/L) and bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE, 1 µmol/L), and neurite outgrowth of these cells was assessed. Ang II induced neurite outgrowth by 19 ± 1.6‐fold (p