Figure 7. A proposed model of Ang II-mediated AT₁R upregulation.

In response to an Ang II stimulus, NF-κB disengages from IkB and enters the nucleus to interact with the CBP and binds to the promoter region of Elk-1. In addition, CREB and CBP complex formation facilitates the interaction between p65 and the Elk-1 promoter. This sets up a downstream cascade mechanism involving the increased transcription of Elk-1 and the the c-Fos component of AP-1 eventually leading to the upregulation of AT1 receptor.