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. 2011 Mar 26;3(3):72-83.
doi: 10.4330/wjc.v3.i3.72.

Renin and cardiovascular disease: Worn-out path, or new direction

Gaurav Alreja  1 , Jacob Joseph
Affiliations

Renin and cardiovascular disease: Worn-out path, or new direction

Gaurav Alreja et al. World J Cardiol. .

Abstract

Inhibition of the renin angiotensin system has beneficial effects in cardiovascular prevention and treatment. The advent of orally active direct renin inhibitors adds a novel approach to antagonism of the renin-angiotensin system. Inhibition of the first and rate-limiting step of the renin angiotensin cascade offers theoretical advantages over downstream blockade. However, the recent discovery of the (pro)renin receptor which binds both renin and prorenin, and which can not only augment catalytic activity of both renin and prorenin in converting angiotensinogen to angiotensin I, but also signal intracellularly via various pathways to modulate gene expression, adds a significant level of complexity to the field. In this review, we will examine the basic and clinical data on renin and its inhibition in the context of cardiovascular pathophysiology.

Keywords: Angiotensin; Cardiovascular disease; Prorenin receptor; Renin; Renin receptor.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schema of the renin-angiotensin system. ATR: Angiotensin II receptor; MAS: Mas proto-oncogene receptor; ACE: Angiotensin converting enzyme.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Signal transduction mediated by the (pro)renin receptor. PRR: (Pro)renin receptor.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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