Related Experiment Videos
Angiotensin II and the control of cardiovascular structure
1Division of Cardiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. rpratt@bustoff.bwh.harvard.edu
Insights
Angiotensin II (AngII) dysregulation contributes to cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis and cardiac hypertrophy. This review explores AngII's role in regulating heart and vessel structure and function.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Molecular Biology
- Pathophysiology
Background:
- Vascular and cardiac health rely on balanced forces like vasoconstriction/vasodilation and cell growth/inhibition.
- Pathophysiological conditions disrupt this balance, leading to vascular hypertrophy, lesions, and cardiac issues such as left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of angiotensin II (AngII) in regulating cardiac and vascular structure and function.
- To discuss how AngII contributes to cardiovascular pathologies under disease conditions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on studies investigating angiotensin II signaling pathways.
- Analysis of evidence linking angiotensin II to cardiovascular remodeling and disease progression.
Main Results:
- Imbalances in counteracting forces in the vessel wall lead to hypertrophy and lesions, as seen in atherosclerosis.
- Disrupted control mechanisms in the cardiac wall result in left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure.
Conclusions:
- Angiotensin II (AngII), acting through its receptors, is a key regulator of cardiac and vascular structure and function.
- Increased angiotensin-converting enzyme expression under pathological conditions elevates AngII levels, exacerbating cardiovascular disease.
Abstract:
The structure and function of the vessel wall are dependent on the balance of several counteracting forces, i.e., vasoconstricting versus vasodilating, growth-promoting versus growth-inhibiting, and proapoptotic versus antiapoptotic. In a normal healthy vessel, these factors are closely balanced. However, under pathophysiologic conditions this balance is upset, resulting in the development of vascular hypertrophy and the generation of vascular lesions. For example, during the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, there is an imbalance in a number of these processes, resulting in a proatherogenic state. Similarly, processes involved in maintaining the structure and function of the cardiac wall are under tight control and, when the control is upset, can result in left ventricular hypertrophy, with subsequent decreases in cardiac function and the development of failure. Evidence suggests that angiotensin II (AngII), acting via a family of receptors, plays an important role in the regulation of structure and function in both the heart and vessel wall; under pathologic conditions, the ability of the heart and vessel wall to generate AngII is increased, because of increased angiotensin-converting enzyme expression. In this review, the potential role of AngII in the regulation of cardiac and vascular structure and function is discussed.