Renovascular hypertension in mice is characterized by an elevation in hypothalamic angiotensin II levels. The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is a major cardioregulatory site implicated in the neurogenic component of renovascular hypertension. Increased superoxide (O(2)(-·)) production in the PVN is involved in angiotensin II-dependent neurocardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and heart failure. Here, we tested the hypothesis that excessive O(2)(-·) production and activation of the redox-regulated transcription factor activator protein-1 (AP-1) in PVN contributes to the development and maintenance of renovascular hypertension. Male C57BL/6 mice underwent implantation of radiotelemeters, bilateral PVN injections of an adenovirus (Ad) encoding superoxide dismutase (AdCuZnSOD) or a control gene (LacZ), and unilateral renal artery clipping (2-kidney, one-clip [2K1C]) or sham surgery. AP-1 activity was longitudinally monitored in vivo by bioluminescence imaging in 2K1C or sham mice that had undergone PVN-targeted microinjections of an Ad encoding the firefly luciferase (Luc) gene downstream of AP-1 response elements (AdAP-1Luc). 2K1C evoked chronic hypertension and an increase in O(2)(-·) production in the PVN. Viral delivery of CuZnSOD to the PVN not only prevented the elevation in O(2)(-·) but also abolished renovascular hypertension. 2K1C also caused a surge in AP-1 activity in the PVN, which paralleled the rise in O(2)(-·) production in this brain region, and this was prevented by treatment with AdCuZnSOD. Finally, Ad-mediated expression of a dominant-negative inhibitor of AP-1 activity in the PVN prevented 2K1C-evoked hypertension. These results implicate oxidant signaling and AP-1 transcriptional activity in the PVN as key mediators in the pathogenesis of renovascular hypertension.