Current Hypertension Reviews - Volume 8, Issue 1, 2012

Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has a major role in hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and diseases that are caused by these conditions. Inhibition of the RAS has been clinically proven beneficial in hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, nephropathy, and neuropathy, among many others. The dominant concept of the RAS defines this as a circulating system consisting of renin, angiotensino Read More

The renin-angiorensin system (RAS) is an important regulator of vascular volume and cardiovascular structure. Inhibitors of the RAS appear to provide benefits in addition to those associated with blood pressure lowering in disorders such as diabetic nephropathy, and congestive heart failure. Early successes led to the speculation that improved blockade of the RAS could produce further benefits. Although improved blo Read More

Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is known to be a regulator of blood pressure, volume homeostasis, and cardiovascular growth and remodeling, but is still incompletely understood. Tissue RAS plays important roles in development of target-organ damages in pathological states such as hypertension and diabetes. The pathophysiological roles of (pro)renin receptor [(P)RR] have been growing concern. (P)RR binds renin an Read More

Chymase, a serine protease found in mast cell granules, is released into the interstitium following injury or inflammation. Chymase is the primary ACE-independent pathway of angiotensin II formation, and also functions to activate TGF-beta and other promoters of extracellular matrix degradation, thereby playing a role in tissue remodeling. In the diseased kidney, chymase-containing mast cells markedly increase and t Read More

It is well known that the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a pivotal role in the control of the cardiovascular and renal systems and in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and renal diseases. The classical concept of the RAS has been changed in the recent years by the inclusion of novels components. Among the novel components of the RAS, Angiotensin(Ang)-(1-7), its major forming enzyme angiotensin-converting Read More

Discovery of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-2 provided a strong impetus for the development of novel therapeutic tools for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7), the product of ACE2, via activation of Mas receptor elicits cardiovascular protective effects to a large extent by counter-regulating ACE/Ang- II/AT1-receptor axis of renin angiotensin system (RAS). Bone marrow (BM)-derived prog Read More

In the classical view, the hormone angiotensin II (Ang II) mediates its action via two major receptors, namely the Ang II type-1 receptor (AT1R) and the type-2 receptor (AT2R). Several recent reviews implicate the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in various aspects of adipose tissue physiology and dysfunction. Research on AT2R has long been hampered by at least three potential challenges, (i) the low expression level of the AT2R in Read More

Many conventional GPCRs such as those associated with apelin, endothelin, prostaglandin E2, and angiotensin have also been localized to the intracellular space, principally the nucleus. These observations have involved a broad range of tissues, isolated primary cells, and cell lines and a variety of techniques including confocal microscopy, immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, and western blotting. Some recepto Read More

Although there have been major advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development of diabetic nephropathy, targeted therapy that reduces the socioeconomic and personal burden of this disease is somewhat lacking. The incidence of diabetes and associated nephropathy is increasing with the main cause of mortality being related to cardiovascular causes. Novel therapies whic Read More