Many of the actions of angiotensin II (Ang II) are mediated by angiotensin type 1 receptors (AT1), of which there are 2 pharmacologically indistinguishable subtypes (AT1A and AT1B). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an AT1A homozygous deletion (AT1A-/-) on vascular reactivity. AT1A-/- mice and control littermates (AT1A+/+) were infused with vehicle (saline) or Ang II (1000 ng x kg(-1) x min(-1)) for 7 days by osmotic pumps. Systolic pressure was increased in AT1A+/+ mice (Delta45+/-8 mm Hg, P<0.0001) but unchanged in AT1A-/- mice (Delta5+/-3 mm Hg, P>0.13) on day 7. The carotid artery response to the vasodilators acetylcholine (ACh), nitroprusside, and papaverine and to the vasoconstrictors phenylephrine, U46619, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and KCl were not different between vehicle-infused AT1A+/+ and AT1A-/- animals. Carotid relaxation to ACh was impaired and contraction to 5-HT was increased in Ang II-infused AT1A+/+ mice. Ang II did not affect carotid responses in AT1A-/- mice. Superoxide, measured by lucigenin (5 micromol/L), and hydroethidine staining were not different between AT1A+/+ and AT1A-/- mice after vehicle or Ang II infusion, suggesting that it was not contributing to the altered ACh and 5-HT responses. The Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632 (1 micromol/L) attenuated the 5-HT response in both vehicle- and Ang II-infused AT1A+/+ mice. Moreover, concentration-dependent relaxation to Y-27632 and RhoA protein expression were not different in vehicle- or Ang II-infused AT1A+/+. These data demonstrate that the AT1A receptor is required for Ang II-induced changes in carotid artery function.