A single injection of AAV-Ren/Ang viruses increases systolic blood pressure (SBP). (a) Plasmids encoding the expression of hRenin (Ren) and hAngiotensinogen (Ang). The plasmids were introduced into serotype 9 adeno-associated viruses (AAV) and injected via the tail vein. (b) Liver mRNA expression of AAV-delivered exogenous Ren and Ang genes in C57BL6/J mice. (c) C57BL6/J mice were given either a single injection of AAV-Ren or AAV-Ang or a combined injection with both viruses (5 × 1010 vector genomes/animal, n = 10). Co-injection induced a sustained maximal mean SBP increase of ≈20 mmHg. Mean SBP was calculated from measurements from weeks 8 to 12. Data are mean ± SEM. **** p < 0.0001 versus empty vector transduced control group. (d) Evolution of tail-cuff measured SBP after AAV-Ren/Ang or AAV-empty vector injection. **** p < 0.0001, 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA (n = 10–25 per group). ITR, inverted terminal repeats; HCR-hAAH, human antitrypsin gene promoter with an ApoE gene enhancer; pA, poly-A sequence.