The role of endothelins in cardiac function in health and disease.

Abstract

The discovery of novel compounds produced by the vascular endothelium and exerting potent vascular constricting actions heralded a new era in cardiovascular research [1]. The endothelins (ETs) are 21 amino acid peptides which have now been shown to be produced not only by endothelial cells but also by other cell types in the cardiovascular system including non-vascular components of the heart such as ventricular myocytes. This suggests that ETs play both paracrine and autocrine roles in the regulation of cardiac function. An important development in ET research has been the discovery and recognition that there are at least three different isomers of ET which have been termed ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3, each isomer representing a distinct gene product [2]. The diverse nature of these compounds both in terms of site of synthesis as well as their effects on the cardiovascular system are strongly suggestive of an important role in the regulation of cardiovascular function in health and disease.