This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 48/5/824    most recent 01.HYP.0000244109.55948.bcv1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Carey, R. M. Articles by Park, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Carey, R. M. Articles by Park, J. Related Collections ACE/Angiotension receptors Related Article

(Hypertension. 2006;48:824.)
© 2006 American Heart Association, Inc.

Editorial Commentaries

Role of Angiotensin Type 2 Receptors in Vasodilation of Resistance and Capacitance Vessels

Robert M. Carey; Jennifer Park

From the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Va.

Correspondence to Robert M. Carey, PO Box 801414, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA 22908-1414. E-mail rmc4c@virginia.edu

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

Angiotensin II (Ang II), the major effector component of the renin-angiotensin system, has an important regulatory role in cardiovascular and renal function. Ang II exerts its actions by binding with equal affinity to angiotensin type 1 (AT₁) and type 2 (AT₂) receptors.¹ The predominant receptor subtype found in the vasculature of adults is the AT₁ receptor. Ang II activation of AT₁ receptors induces vasoconstriction, cellular proliferation, tissue growth, renal sodium retention, sympathetic nervous system stimulation, and aldosterone secretion, the integrated response of which leads to increased blood pressure.¹ The AT₂ receptor is expressed in large quantities in the fetus and decreases markedly after birth but is still present in low amounts in adult tissues.^1,2 AT₂ receptors are upregulated under conditions associated with cardiovascular tissue damage, such as myocardial infarction, heart failure, and hypertension.³ The relatively low expression level of AT₂ receptors compared with that of AT₁ receptors is a major reason why the actions and cell signaling mechanisms of AT₁ receptors are well characterized compared with those of AT₂ receptors.

Ang II binding to AT₂ receptors activates a counterregulatory pathway whereby vasoconstriction mediated by AT₁ receptors is opposed by AT₂ receptor–induced vasodilation.^4,5 AT₂ receptor–mediated vasodilation has now been demonstrated in a large variety of resistance vessels including the mesenteric, uterine, renal, coronary, and cerebral vascular beds.^6–10 The integrated counterregulatory response to AT₂ receptor activation can be unmasked in normal and hypertensive animals in which, when AT₁ receptors are blocked, exogenous Ang II induces hypotension that is abolished by . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Related Article:

Angiotensin II Stimulates Endothelial NO Synthase Phosphorylation in Thoracic Aorta of Mice With Abdominal Aortic Banding Via Type 2 Receptor

Katsutoshi Yayama, Hiromi Hiyoshi, Daichi Imazu, and Hiroshi Okamoto
Hypertension 2006 48: 958-964. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Chen, A. M. Guo, P. A. Edwards, G. Trick, and A. G. Scicli Role of NADPH oxidase and ANG II in diabetes-induced retinal leukostasis Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, October 1, 2007; 293(4): R1619 - R1629. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Hernandez Schulman, M.-S. Zhou, and L. Raij Cross-Talk Between Angiotensin II Receptor Types 1 and 2: Potential Role in Vascular Remodeling in Humans Hypertension, February 1, 2007; 49(2): 270 - 271. [Full Text] [PDF]