BACKGROUND Cystic medial degeneration (CMD) is a histological abnormality that is common in the aortic diseases associated with Marfan's syndrome (MFS). Although little known about the mechanism underlying CMD, several recent reports have demonstrated that vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) apoptosis could play a substantial role in CMD. On the other hand, angiotensin II (Ang II) has been repor...

Hyperthyroidism is characterized by increased vascular relaxation and decreased vascular contraction and is associated with augmented levels of triiodothyronine (T3) that contribute to the diminished systemic vascular resistance found in this condition. T3 leads to augmented NO production via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, which in turn causes vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) relaxation; however...

Sexual differences in blood pressure are associated with angiotensin 1-7 (Ang1-7) and its receptor and enzyme function targeting. Blockade of angiotensin II (AngII) receptors type 1 and 2 (AT1R and AT2R) inhibits some actions of Ang1-7. We described the role of Ang1-7 receptor (MasR) antagonist (A779) on kidney hemodynamics when AT1R and AT2R are blocked with losartan and PD123319. In anaesthet...

Abstract Angiotensin system, aging, and Alzheimer's disease are tightly linked. Of the brain angiotensin receptors, subtype 2 receptor (AT2R) is relatively less studied. Canonically, AT2R functions through nitric oxide release, its activation has been linked to vasodilatation neurite outgrowth as well anti-inflammation. How signals not known, however, an AT2R-binding protein (ATIP) recently des...

PURPOSE To investigate the retinal neural damage that occurs during inflammation and the therapeutic effects of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) blocker, telmisartan, using a model of endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU). METHODS The localization of AT1R and AT2R was shown by immunohistochemistry. EIU was induced by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Animals were treat...

There is a growing consensus that the balance between Angiotensin Type 1 (AT1R) and Angiotensin Type 2 (AT2R) signaling in many tissues may determine the magnitude and, in some cases the direction, of the biological response. Sympatho-excitation in cardiovascular diseases is mediated by a variety of factors and is, in part, dependent on Angiotensin II signaling in the central nervous system. Re...

AIMS We tested the hypothesis that cardiac angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor gene transcription may predict the development of transplant coronary artery disease (TCAD) following heart transplantation. METHODS AND RESULTS We examined the gene transcripts of Ang II type 1 (AT1R) and type 2 receptors (AT2R) in endomyocardial biopsy specimens from 50 heart transplant recipients. The progression o...

BACKGROUND The haemodynamic responses to angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor blockade may be mediated in part by interactions between angiotensin II and the angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R). An AT2R G1675A gene polymorphism has been described, but the functional effects of this polymorphism are unknown. METHODS Haemodynamic function, circulating renin-angiotensin system mediators and no...

Angiotensin III (Ang III) has similar effects on blood pressure and aldosterone secretion as Ang II, but cardioprotective effects are also proposed. In this study, we investigated whether Ang III protects the heart against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. After sacrificing Sprague-Dawley rats, the hearts were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer for a 20 min preischemic period with and withou...

ANG II contributes importantly to the regulation of renal vascular resistance, glomerular filtration, and tubular epithelial transport, yet there remains a paucity of information regarding the localization of the ANG II type 1 and 2 (AT1 and AT2) receptors within the rat kidney particularly within the vasculature. The present study was designed to localize the transcriptional and translational ...