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Urocortin: a beneficial or detrimental agent to endothelium?
Cui Yang1, Yinyan Xu, Shengnan Li
1Department of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, No. 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China.
Abstract:
As a member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family, urocortin (UCN) has been demonstrated to show diverse effects on cardiovascular system. It is commonly considered as a protective agent on vascular function. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that some effects of UCN may lead to endothelial dysfunction (ED) which may be the cause or consequence of vascular disease and a hallmark of known cardiovascular risk factors. The present review is then focused on recent evidence that reveals the beneficial and detrimental effects of UCN on endothelium.
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