[Angiotensin II in organ organopathy]

Angiotensin II induces the organ derangements is not generated by the so-called classic rennin-angiotensin system but by the tissue angiotensin II generating system. We have confirmed this evidences by using different types of animal models such as hypertension, arteriosclerosis, vascular narrowing by balloon injury and in vein graft disease. In addition, we found that the ACE and chymase activities are increased in human aneurismal aorta. ACE inhibitor is effective to protect the development of hypertension and arteriosclerosis, but not to other models because the angiotensin II produced by chymase is involved in such diseases. Angiotensin II produced separately by ACE and chymase, participates independently in the development of vascular derangements.