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Ferrario CM, Saha A, VonCannon JL, Meredith WJ, Ahmad S. Does the Naked Emperor Parable Apply to Current Perceptions of the Contribution of Renin Angiotensin System Inhibition in Hypertension? Curr Hypertens Rep 2022; 24:709-721. [PMID: 36272015 DOI: 10.1007/s11906-022-01229-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To address contemporary hypertension challenges, a critical reexamination of therapeutic accomplishments using angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers, and a greater appreciation of evidence-based shortcomings from randomized clinical trials are fundamental in accelerating future progress. RECENT FINDINGS Medications targeting angiotensin II mechanism of action are essential for managing primary hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. While the ability of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers to control blood pressure is undisputed, practitioners, hypertension specialists, and researchers hold low awareness of these drugs' limitations in preventing or reducing the risk of cardiovascular events. Biases in interpreting gained knowledge from data obtained in randomized clinical trials include a pervasive emphasis on using relative risk reduction over absolute risk reduction. Furthermore, recommendations for clinical practice in international hypertension guidelines fail to address the significance of a residual risk several orders of magnitude greater than the benefits. We analyze the limitations of the clinical trials that have led to current recommended treatment guidelines. We define and quantify the magnitude of the residual risk in published hypertension trials and explore how activation of alternate compensatory bioprocessing components within the renin angiotensin system bypass the ability of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers to achieve a significant reduction in total and cardiovascular deaths. We complete this presentation by outlining the current incipient but promising potential of immunotherapy to block angiotensin II pathology alone or possibly in combination with other antihypertensive drugs. A full appreciation of the magnitude of the residual risk associated with current renin angiotensin system-based therapies constitutes a vital underpinning for seeking new molecular approaches to halt or even reverse the cardiovascular complications of primary hypertension and encourage investigating a new generation of ACE inhibitors and ARBs with increased capacity to reach the intracellular compartments at which Ang II can be generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M Ferrario
- Laboratory of Translational Hypertension and Vascular Research, Department of General Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston Salem, NC, 27157, USA.
| | - Amit Saha
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Jessica L VonCannon
- Laboratory of Translational Hypertension and Vascular Research, Department of General Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Wayne J Meredith
- Laboratory of Translational Hypertension and Vascular Research, Department of General Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Sarfaraz Ahmad
- Laboratory of Translational Hypertension and Vascular Research, Department of General Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston Salem, NC, 27157, USA
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Ferrario CM, Groban L, Wang H, Cheng CP, VonCannon JL, Wright KN, Sun X, Ahmad S. The Angiotensin-(1-12)/Chymase axis as an alternate component of the tissue renin angiotensin system. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2021; 529:111119. [PMID: 33309638 PMCID: PMC8127338 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.111119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The identification of an alternate extended form of angiotensin I composed of the first twelve amino acids at the N-terminal of angiotensinogen has generated new knowledge of the importance of noncanonical mechanisms for renin independent generation of angiotensins. The human sequence of the dodecapeptide angiotensin-(1-12) [N-Asp1-Arg2-Val3-Tyr4-Ile5-His6-Pro7-Phe8-His9-Leu10-Val1-Ile12-COOH] is an endogenous substrate that in the rat has been documented to be present in multiple organs including the heart, brain, kidney, gut, adrenal gland, and the bone marrow. Newer studies have confirmed the existence of Ang-(1-12) as an Ang II-forming substrate in the blood and heart of normal and diseased patients. Studies to-date document that angiotensin II generation from angiotensin-(1-12) does not require renin participation while chymase rather than angiotensin converting enzyme shows high catalytic activity in converting this tissue substrate into angiotensin II directly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M Ferrario
- Department of Surgery and Physiology-Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Leanne Groban
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Che Ping Cheng
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jessica L VonCannon
- Department of Surgery and Physiology-Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Kendra N Wright
- Department of Surgery and Physiology-Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Xuming Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Sarfaraz Ahmad
- Department of Surgery and Physiology-Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
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Ahmad S, Punzi HA, Wright KN, Groban L, Ferrario CM. Newly developed radioimmunoassay for Human Angiotensin-(1-12) measurements in plasma and urine. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2021; 529:111256. [PMID: 33798634 PMCID: PMC8694336 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The dodecapeptide angiotensin-(1-12) [Ang-(1-12)] functions as an intracrine/paracrine substrate for local production of angiotensin II. We developed a reliable and specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) method for the measurement of Ang-(1-12) in human plasma and urine using an affinity purified antibody fraction directed towards the C-terminus of the human Ang-(1-12) sequence. The RIA method was applied to quantify the Ang-(1-12) in plasma and urine collected from thirty-four human subjects (29 treated with antihypertensive medicines and 5 untreated patients). Plasma Ang-(1-12) level was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in patients with systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg (n = 10) compared to the group with systolic blood pressure <140 mm Hg (n = 24). No significant difference (P = 0.22) was found in spot urine between the groups. Our study also shows that the polyclonal antibody neutralizes the cleavage sites of the human Ang-(1-12) from recombinant human chymase (rhChymase) and serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) mediated Ang II generating hydrolysis. Overall, this newly developed RIA method is reliable and applicable to accurately quantify the Ang-(1-12) level in clinical samples (plasma and urine). Further, our in vitro neutralization study suggests that the anti-Ang-(1-12)-antibody might be used as an in vivo therapeutic agent for preventing Ang-(1-12)/Ang II-mediated hypertension and organ damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarfaraz Ahmad
- Department of General Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA.
| | - Henry A Punzi
- Trinity Hypertension & Metabolic Research Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Carrollton, TX, 75006, USA
| | - Kendra N Wright
- Department of General Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Leanne Groban
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Carlos M Ferrario
- Department of General Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA; Department of Physiology-Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
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Li T, Zhang Z, Zhang X, Chen Z, Cheng HJ, Ahmad S, Ferrario CM, Cheng CP. Reversal of angiotensin-(1-12)-caused positive modulation on left ventricular contractile performance in heart failure: Assessment by pressure-volume analysis. Int J Cardiol 2019; 301:135-141. [PMID: 31521437 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2019.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angiotensin-(1-12) [Ang-(1-12)] is a renin-independent precursor for direct angiotensin-II production by chymase. Substantial evidence suggests that heart failure (HF) may alter cardiac Ang-(1-12) expression and activity; this novel Ang-(1-12)/chymase axis may be the main source for angiotensin-II deleterious actions in HF. We hypothesized that HF alters cardiac response to Ang-(1-12). Its stimulation may produce cardiac negative modulation and exacerbate left ventricle (LV) systolic and diastolic dysfunction. METHODS AND RESULTS We assessed the effects of Ang-(1-12) (2 nmol/kg/min, iv, 10 min) on LV contractility, LV diastolic filling, and LV-arterial coupling (AVC) in 16 SD male rats with HF-induced by isoproterenol (3 mo after 170 mg/kg sq. for 2 consecutive days) and 10 age-matched male controls. In normal controls, versus baseline, Ang-(1-12) increased LV end-systolic pressure, without altering heart rate, arterial elastance (EA), LV end-diastolic pressure (PED), the time constant of LV relaxation (τ) and ejection fraction (EF). Ang-(1-12) significantly increased the slopes (EES) of LV end-systolic pressure (P)-volume (V) relations and the slopes (MSW) of LV stroke wok-end-diastolic V relations, indicating increased LV contractility. AVC (quantified as EES/EA) improved. In contrast, in HF, versus HF baseline, Ang-(1-12) produced a similar increase in PES, but significantly increased τ, EA, and PED. The early diastolic portion of LV PV loop was shifted upward with reduced in EF. Moreover, Ang-(1-12) significantly decreased EES and MSW, demonstrating decreased LV contractility. AVC was decreased by 43%. CONCLUSIONS In both normal and HF rats, Ang-(1-12) causes similar vasoconstriction. In normal, Ang-(1-12) increases LV contractile function. In HF, Ang-(1-12) has adverse effects and depresses LV systolic and diastolic functional performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiankai Li
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China; Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States of America
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States of America; Department of cardiology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (originally named "Shanghai First People's Hospital"), Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States of America; Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zhe Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States of America; Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Heng-Jie Cheng
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China; Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States of America
| | - Sarfaraz Ahmad
- Department of Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America
| | - Carlos M Ferrario
- Department of Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America
| | - Che Ping Cheng
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China; Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States of America.
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Ahmad S, Wright KN, Sun X, Groban L, Ferrario CM. Mast cell peptidases (carboxypeptidase A and chymase)-mediated hydrolysis of human angiotensin-(1-12) substrate. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 518:651-656. [PMID: 31466718 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.08.098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Angiotensin processing peptidases (carboxypeptidase A (CPA) and chymase) are stored in cardiac mast cell (MC) secretory granules in large quantity and are co-released into the extracellular environment after activation/degranulation. In the human heart, chymase is primarily responsible for angiotensin II (Ang II) generation from the alternate substrate angiotensin-(1-12) (Ang-(1-12)). We investigated the individual and combined hydrolytic specificity of CPA and chymase enzymes (1:1 and 1:⅓ ratio) in the processing of the human Ang-(1-12) (hAng-(1-12)) substrate. To determine the Km and Vmax, the CPA and recombinant human chymase (rhChymase) enzymes were incubated with increasing concentrations of hAng-(1-12) substrate (0-300 μM). We found that CPA alone sequentially metabolized hAng-(1-12) substrate into angiotensin-(1-9) (Ang-(1-9), 53%), Ang II (22%) and angiotensin-(1-7) (Ang-(1-7), 11%) during a 15 min incubation. In the presence of rhChymase alone, 125I-hAng-(1-12) was directly metabolized into Ang II (89%) and no further hydrolysis of Ang II was detected. In the presence of both CPA + rhChymase enzymes (1:1 or 1:⅓ ratio), the amount of Ang II formation from 125I-hAng-(1-12) within a 5 min incubation period were 68% or 65%, respectively. In the presence of both (CPA + rhChymase), small amounts of Ang-(1-9) and Ang-(1-7) were generated from 125I-hAng-(1-12). The Km and Vmax values were 150 ± 5 μM and 384 ± 23 nM/min/mg of CPA and 40 ± 9 μM and 116 ± 20 nM/min/mg of rhChymase. The catalytic efficiency (Vmax/Km ratio) was higher for rhChymase/hAng-(1-12) compared to CPA/hAng-(1-12). Compared to CPA, chymase has a much higher affinity to hydrolyze the hAng-(1-12) substrate directly into Ang II. In addition, Ang II and Ang-(1-7) are the end products of chymase and CPA, respectively. Overall, our findings suggest that the Ang II generation from hAng-(1-12) is primarily mediated by chymase rather than CPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarfaraz Ahmad
- General Surgery, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA.
| | - Kendra N Wright
- General Surgery, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Xuming Sun
- Anesthesiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Leanne Groban
- Anesthesiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA; Internal Medicine/Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Carlos M Ferrario
- General Surgery, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
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Li T, Zhang X, Cheng HJ, Zhang Z, Ahmad S, Varagic J, Li W, Cheng CP, Ferrario CM. Critical role of the chymase/angiotensin-(1-12) axis in modulating cardiomyocyte contractility. Int J Cardiol 2018; 264:137-144. [PMID: 29685688 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2018.03.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angiotensin-(1-12) [Ang-(1-12)] is a chymase-dependent source for angiotensin II (Ang II) cardiac activity. The direct contractile effects of Ang-(1-12) in normal and heart failure (HF) remain to be demonstrated. We assessed the hypothesis that Ang-(1-12) may modulate [Ca2+]i regulation and alter cardiomyocyte contractility in normal and HF rats. METHODS AND RESULTS We compared left ventricle (LV) myocyte contractile and calcium transient ([Ca2+]iT) responses to angiotensin peptides in 16 SD rats with isoproterenol-induced HF and 16 age-matched controls. In normal myocytes, versus baseline, Ang II (10-6 M) superfusion significantly increased myocyte contractility (dL/dtmax: 40%) and [Ca2+]iT (29%). Ang-(1-12) (4 × 10-6 M) caused similar increases in dL/dtmax (34%) and [Ca2+]iT (25%). Compared with normal myocytes, superfusion of Ang II and Ang-(1-12) in myocytes obtained from rats with isoproterenol-induced HF caused similar but significantly attenuated positive inotropic actions with about 42% to 50% less increases in dL/dtmax and [Ca2+]iT. Chymostatin abolished Ang-(1-12)-mediated effects in normal and HF myocytes. The presence of an inhibitory cAMP analog, Rp-cAMPS prevented Ang-(1-12)-induced inotropic effects in both normal and HF myocytes. Incubation of HF myocytes with pertussis toxin (PTX) further augmented Ang II-mediated contractility. CONCLUSIONS Ang-(1-12) stimulates cardiomyocyte contractile function and [Ca2+]iT in both normal and HF rats through a chymase mediated action. Altered inotropic responses to Ang-(1-12) and Ang II in HF myocytes are mediated through a cAMP-dependent mechanism that is coupled to both stimulatory G and inhibitory PTX-sensitive G proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiankai Li
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China; Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States; Department of Cardiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Heng-Jie Cheng
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China; Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States; Cardiovascular Department, Shanghai First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sarfaraz Ahmad
- Departments of Surgery, Internal Medicine-Nephrology, and Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Jasmina Varagic
- Departments of Surgery, Internal Medicine-Nephrology, and Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Weimin Li
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Che Ping Cheng
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China; Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, United States.
| | - Carlos M Ferrario
- Departments of Surgery, Internal Medicine-Nephrology, and Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
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Ferrario CM, Mullick AE. Renin angiotensin aldosterone inhibition in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Pharmacol Res 2017; 125:57-71. [PMID: 28571891 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2017.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A collective century of discoveries establishes the importance of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system in maintaining blood pressure, fluid volume and electrolyte homeostasis via autocrine, paracrine and endocrine signaling. While research continues to yield new functions of angiotensin II and angiotensin-(1-7), the gap between basic research and clinical application of these new findings is widening. As data accumulates on the efficacy of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers as drugs of fundamental importance in the treatment of cardiovascular and renal disorders, it is becoming apparent that the achieved clinical benefits is suboptimal and surprisingly no different than what can be achieved with other therapeutic interventions. We discuss this issue and summarize new pathways and mechanisms effecting the synthesis and actions of angiotensin II. The presence of renin-independent non-canonical pathways for angiotensin II production are largely unaffected by agents inhibiting renin angiotensin system activity. Hence, new efforts should be directed to develop drugs that can effectively block the synthesis and/or action of intracellular angiotensin II. Improved drug penetration into cardiac or renal sites of disease, inhibiting chymase the primary angiotensin II forming enzyme in the human heart, and/or inhibiting angiotensinogen synthesis would all be more effective strategies to inhibit the system. Additionally, given the role of angiotensin II in the maintenance of renal homeostatic mechanisms, any new inhibitor should possess greater selectivity of targeting pathogenic angiotensin II signaling processes and thereby limit inappropriate inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M Ferrario
- Department of Surgery, Wake Forest University Health Science, Medical Center Blvd., Winston Salem, NC 27157, United States.
| | - Adam E Mullick
- Cardiovascular Antisense Drug Discovery, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, CA 92010, United States
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