Abstract
The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is well known as regulator of electrolytes and blood pressure. Besides this function, there are numerous studies supporting the idea of a local tissue RAS. This system controls the local activity of the different RAS family members, especially of the functional proteins Angiotensin II and Angiotensin (1–7). Those antagonistically acting proteins have been described to be expressed in different organ systems including the human reproductive tract. Therefore, this local RAS has been suspected to be involved in the control and regulation of physiological and pathological conditions in the female reproduction tract. This review of the available literature summarizes the physiological influence of the RAS on the follicular development, ovarian angiogenesis, and placental- and uterine function. In addition, in the second part the role of the RAS concerning ovarian- and endometrial cancer becomes elucidated. This section includes possible novel therapeutic strategies via inhibition of RAS-mediated tumor growth and angiogenesis. Looking at a very complex system of agonistic and antagonistic tissue factors, it may be supposed that the RAS in the female reproduction tract will be of rising scientific interest in the upcoming years.
Highlights
The Renin-Angiotensin system (RAS) is of paramount importance for the perpetuation of the circular flow, regulating the electrolyte metabolism the blood pressure [1,2,3,4]
Since it has been shown that levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as well as rates of angiogenesis are increased due to Angiotensin II, the link between the RAS and Angiogenesis has been established in epithelial ovarian cancer cells [80]. This connection even acts quantitatively: stimulation of the ovarian cancer cell line Scov 3 with Angiotensin II caused increased VEGF expression [80] and high levels of AT1R are associated with significantly increased VEGF production and micro-vessel density (MVD) [79]
This review summarizes the available literature concerning the local tissue RAS in the reproductive tract with regards to physiological and pathological clinical situations
Summary
The Renin-Angiotensin system (RAS) is of paramount importance for the perpetuation of the circular flow, regulating the electrolyte metabolism the blood pressure [1,2,3,4] This considerable function of the RAS is mediated by the systemic RASpathway. Expression of elements of this local RAS has been described in different parts of the human reproductive tract The both antagonistic bioactive proteins of the RAS, in particular Angiotensin II and Angiotensin [1,2,3,4,5,6,7] can result from the local tissue RAS [13, 14]. An influencing effect on cancer has been described for different tumor types already during the last two decades [19, 20]
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