The Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/Angiotensin-(1–7)/Mas receptor axis: A potential target for treating thrombotic diseases

2012 ◽  
Vol 108 (12) ◽  
pp. 1089-1096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Fraga-Silva ◽  
Danielle Da Silva ◽  
Fabrizio Montecucco ◽  
François Mach ◽  
Nikolaos Stergiopulos ◽  
...  

SummaryDespite many therapeutic advances leading to increasingly effective drug treatments, thrombotic events (such as ischaemic stroke, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis and acute myocardial infarction) still represent a major worldwide cause of morbidity and mortality. Remarkable effort has been made to identify new drug targets. There is growing evidence indicating that the recently described counter-regulator axis of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), composed of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), Angiotensin-(1–7) and the Mas receptor, has protective effects against thrombosis. In addition, it could be considered as a promising target for treating or preventing this disease. In this narrative review, we focused on the recent findings of the role of the ACE2/Angiotensin-(1–7)/Mas axis on the haemostatic process and its therapeutic potential.

Author(s):  
Virginia M. Pereira ◽  
Fernando M. Reis ◽  
Maíra Casalechi ◽  
Adelina M. Reis

Background: Hyperandrogenism is a pivotal mediator in the pathogenesis of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but the mechanisms of androgen excess in this condition are not fully understood. Angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) is an active peptide of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) that stimulates ovarian follicular growth and testosterone release in vitro. Objective: To investigate whether Ang-(1-7), its receptor Mas and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the enzyme that converts Ang II into Ang-(1-7), are expressed in rat polycystic ovaries (PCO) and thus if this peptide system might be associated with excess androgen production in PCO. Methods: A rat model that shares some features of PCOS such as disruption of folliculogenesis and multiple ovarian cyst formation was used in the study. Results: We found reduced levels of Ang-(1-7) and Mas receptor in PCO compared to normal ovaries. Also, ACE2 mRNA expression was reduced in PCO compared to ovaries of control rats (p < 0.05). PCO had high levels of estrogen and testosterone and increased mRNA for upstream enzymes of the steroidogenic cascade, but not of P450 aromatase. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the ovarian ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas receptor axis is inhibited and therefore may not be a co-factor of excess testosterone production in rat PCO.


Coronaviruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Restini ◽  
Trevor Belavek ◽  
Rafael Bernal ◽  
Vanessa Ibrahim ◽  
Kelly Irwin ◽  
...  

: The new coronavirus was first reported in 2019 (China) and officially announced by the World Health Organization as a pandemic in March 2020. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the pneumonia-associated illnesses and shares structural homology with the related Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-1 (SARS-CoV-1). One of the mechanisms for SARS-Cov-1 and -2 infection is mediated by the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) cell receptor, enabling the virus to enter the host cells. ACE2 is an isoform of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 1 (ACE). The actions of ACE2 counterbalance the classic renin-angiotensin system (RAS) axis through the production of Ang 1-7, which promotes cardiovascular, renal, and lung-protective effects. The ACE2 is not the only route for SARS-CoV-2 to enter the host cells. However, due to its roles in the RAS and its participation in the SARS-CoV-2 virulence, ACE2 has gained attention regarding viral mechanisms of pathogenesis, effects of drugs that interfere with the RAS, and as a potential target for therapeutic strategies for the damages caused by SARSCoV-2 infection. Among other tissues, ACE2 gene expression seems to be increased in the lungs upon SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, amid other variables, expression and/or activity of ACE2 is shown as a disease, sex, and age-dependent. The present review covers critical aspects for a comprehensive understanding of ACE2 and its current involvement in SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of COVID-19.


TH Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 04 (02) ◽  
pp. e138-e144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Miesbach

AbstractThe activated renin–angiotensin system induces a prothrombotic state resulting from the imbalance between coagulation and fibrinolysis. Angiotensin II is the central effector molecule of the activated renin–angiotensin system and is degraded by the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 to angiotensin (1–7). The novel coronavirus infection (classified as COVID-19) is caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and is characterized by an exaggerated inflammatory response that can lead to severe manifestations such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, and death in a proportion of patients, mostly elderly patients with preexisting comorbidities. SARS-CoV-2 uses the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor to enter the target cells, resulting in activation of the renin–angiotensin system. After downregulating the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, the vasoconstrictor angiotensin II is increasingly produced and its counterregulating molecules angiotensin (1–7) reduced. Angiotensin II increases thrombin formation and impairs fibrinolysis. Elevated levels were strongly associated with viral load and lung injury in patients with severe COVID-19. Therefore, the complex clinical picture of patients with severe complications of COVID-19 is triggered by the various effects of highly expressed angiotensin II on vasculopathy, coagulopathy, and inflammation. Future treatment options should focus on blocking the thrombogenic and inflammatory properties of angiotensin II in COVID-19 patients.


Author(s):  
Kaiming Wang ◽  
Mahmoud Gheblawi ◽  
Anish Nikhanj ◽  
Matt Munan ◽  
Erika MacIntyre ◽  
...  

ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme)-2 as the target for SARS-CoV-2 also negatively regulates the renin-angiotensin system. Pathological activation of ADAM17 (A disintegrin and metalloproteinase-17) may potentiate inflammation and diminish ACE2-mediated tissue protection through proteolytic shedding, contributing to SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. We aim to examine plasma soluble ACE2 and angiotensin profiles in relation to outcomes by enrolling consecutive patients admitted for COVID-19 with baseline blood collection at admission and repeated sampling at 7 days. The primary outcome was 90-day mortality, and secondary outcomes were the incidence of end-organ injuries. Overall, 242 patients were included, the median age was 63 (52–74) years, 155 (64.0%) were men, and 57 (23.6%) patients reached the primary end point. Baseline soluble ACE2 was elevated in COVID-19 but was not associated with disease severity or mortality. In contrast, an upward trajectory of soluble ACE2 at repeat sampling was independently associated with an elevated risk of mortality and incidence of acute myocardial injury and circulatory shock. Similarly, an increase in soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor levels was also associated with adverse outcomes. Plasma Ang I, Ang 1-7 (angiotensin 1–7) levels, and the Ang 1-7/Ang II (angiotensin II) ratio were elevated during SARS-CoV-2 infection related to downregulation of ACE activity at baseline. Moreover, patients having an upward trajectory of soluble ACE2 were characterized by an imbalance in the Ang 1-7/Ang II ratio. The observed dysregulation of ACE2 and angiotensin peptides with disease progression suggest a potential role of ADAM17 inhibition and enhancing the beneficial Ang 1-7/Mas axis to improve outcomes against SARS-CoV-2 infection.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid Reza Kouhpayeh ◽  
Farhad Tabasi ◽  
Mohammad Dehvari ◽  
Mohammad Naderi ◽  
Gholamreza Bahari ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic remains an emerging public health crisis with serious adverse effects. The disease is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV--2) infection, targeting angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor for cell entry. However, changes in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) balance alter an individual’s susceptibility to COVID-19 infection. We aimed to evaluate the association between AGT rs699 C > T, ACE rs4646994 I/D, and AGTR1 rs5186 C > A variants and the risk of COVID-19 infection and the severity in a sample of the southeast Iranian population. Methods A total of 504 subjects, including 258 COVID-19 positives, and 246 healthy controls, were recruited. Genotyping of the ACE gene rs4646994, and AGT rs699, and AGTR1 rs5186 polymorphisms was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), respectively. Results Our results showed that the II genotype of ACE rs4646994 and the I allele decreased the risk of COVID-19 infection. Moreover, we found that the TC genotype and C allele of AGT rs699 increased the risk of COVID-19 infection. The AGTR1 rs5186 was not associated with COVID-19 infection. Also, we did not find any association between these polymorphisms and the severity of the disease. However, we found a significantly higher age and prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in patients with severe disease than a non-severe disease. Conclusions These findings suggest that ACE rs4646994 and AGT rs699 polymorphisms increase the risk of COVID-19 infection in a southeast Iranian population.


2020 ◽  
Vol 126 (10) ◽  
pp. 1456-1474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Gheblawi ◽  
Kaiming Wang ◽  
Anissa Viveiros ◽  
Quynh Nguyen ◽  
Jiu-Chang Zhong ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Annalise E Zemlin ◽  
Owen J Wiese

Since the first cases of atypical pneumonia linked to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China, were described in late December 2019, the global landscape has changed radically. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and at the time of writing this review, just over three million individuals have been infected with more than 200,000 deaths globally. Numerous countries are in ‘lockdown’, social distancing is the new norm, even the most advanced healthcare systems are under pressure, and a global economic recession seems inevitable. A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was identified as the aetiological agent. From experience with previous coronavirus epidemics, namely the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2004 and 2012 respectively, it was postulated that the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor is a possible port of cell entry. ACE2 is part of the renin-angiotensin system and is also associated with lung and cardiovascular disorders and inflammation. Recent studies have confirmed that ACE2 is the port of entry for SARS-CoV-2. Male sex, advanced age and a number of associated comorbidities have been identified as risk factors for infection with COVID-19. Many high-risk COVID-19 patients with comorbidities are on ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers, and this has sparked debate about whether to continue these treatment regimes. Attention has also shifted to ACE2 being a target for future therapies or vaccines against COVID-19. In this review, we discuss COVID-19 and its complex relationship with ACE2.


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