The renin-angiotensin system and cardiac remodeling

Abstract

It is now a widely accepted fact that vasoactive substances can modulate vascular and cardiac remodeling. Owing to the clinical availability of pharmacologic agents to modulate the activity of the renin-angiotensin system, this system and its components have received considerable attention. Over the past year, study of the local expression and the cellular localization of this system has continued. Moreover, owing to advances in our understanding of the signaling pathways of the type 2 angiotensin receptor isoform, there is an emerging hypothesis that the renin-angiotensin system may play important roles not only in the production of extracellular matrix and the growth of cardiac cells but also in the death of the cardiac cells via the regulation of apoptosis. Thus, reports that have appeared in the past year will no doubt influence studies on the cardiac renin-angiotensin system for the next several years.