Targeting Arterial Remodeling

Abstract

In the present issue of Hypertension , Xu et al1 from the University of Melbourne (Melbourne, Australia), an experienced team of “relaxinologists,” describe the findings of a well-done multidisciplinary experimental study providing evidence that therapeutic administration of human recombinant H2 relaxin has beneficial effects on arterial remodeling in aged spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). This is a major advance to our knowledge of the cardiovascular effects of relaxin, especially considering that the hormone preparation used in this study, similar to that currently used in clinical trials for heart failure,2 has good chances to be adopted as a cardiovascular drug for human use. Relaxin is known as a cardiovascular hormone and a potent vasodilator. In pioneer studies in rats,3,4 purified luteal rat relaxin was shown to have antihypertensive effects and to blunt the response to vasoconstrictors. Of note, the relaxin-induced decrease in …