The zinc metalloprotease, neprilysin (NEP), plays a role in the metabolism of cardiovascular, inflammatory and neuropeptides, including mitogenic peptides such as bombesin. In the cardiovascular system, NEP has a primary role in the inactivation of natriuretic peptides but also contributes to local metabolism of angiotensin, endothelins and bradykinin. Hence NEP is seen as a potential therapeut...

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) plays an important role in regulating blood pressure the body by converting angiotensin-I into angiotensin-II. It is basic component of Renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS), imbalance RAAS may leads to many cardiovascular and renal diseases. There are marketed available drugs for inhibition ACE, but prolonged use some cause progressive side effects. Re...

We compared the effects of the converting enzyme inhibitor perindopril on components of the renin-angiotensin system in plasma and kidney of male Sprague-Dawley rats administered perindopril in their drinking water at two doses (1.4 and 4.2 mg/kg) over 7 days. Eight angiotensin peptides were measured in plasma and kidney: angiotensin-(1-7), angiotensin II, angiotensin-(1-9), angiotensin I, angi...

fied in the stalk region. J Biol Chem 2001;276:5525–32. 21. Okabe T, Fujisawa M, Yotsumoto H, Watanabe J, Takaku F, Lanzillo JJ, et al. Familial elevation of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme. Q J Med 1985; 55:55–61. 22. Luisetti M, Martinetti M, Cuccia M, Dugoujon M, De Rose V, Peona V, et al. Familial elevation of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme activity. Eur Resp J 1990;3:441–6. 23. Kr...

The Japan Multicenter Investigation for Cardiovascular Diseases-B was performed to investigate whether nifedipine retard treatment was associated with a significantly higher incidence of cardiac events than angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor treatment in Japanese patients. The study used a prospective, randomized, open, blinded endpoint (PROBE) design. Patients were enrolled at 354 Japanes...

Recent data have revealed biological and genetic variability in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats, which are considered to be the most appropriate control strain for spontaneously hypertensive rats. To investigate the possibility that angiotensin converting enzyme activity could be affected by this variability, we measured plasma and tissue (lung, heart, renal cortex, renal medulla, and adrenal gl...

Serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity is increased in many patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and has been proposed as a measure of disease activity. Assay of serum angiotensin converting enzyme, bronchoalveolar lavage, and gallium scans were performed in 27 patients with biopsy proved pulmonary sarcoidosis. There was a positive correlation between serum angiotensin converting enzyme ac...

The activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme in hindlegs and kidneys was compared in anesthetized dogs. Intra-arterial injections of angiotensin I or angiotensin II to one kidney or one hindleg caused dose-dependent decreases in blood flow in that vascular bed. An inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity did not affect the vasoconstrictor activity of angiotensin II but substantially...

The demonstration of all components of the renin-angiotensin system in vascular tissue has raised questions as to the precise location of the local angiotensin II generation within the vascular wall. We investigated the metabolism of angiotensin I to angiotensin II in the vascular wall in the isolated rabbit thoracic aorta. Angiotensin I (3 x 10(-9) M) applied into the aortic lumen was partiall...