title: Endothelin-converting enzyme inhibitors: current status and perspectives.
abstract: Recent research has led to the discovery of potent selective or mixed endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE), ECE/neutral endopeptidase24.11 (NEP) and ECE/NEP24.11/angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. There is also increasing evidence, that the functions of the endothelin (ET), renin-angiotensin and NEP systems for the regulation of the cardiovascular homeostasis are connected by a complex regulation network. It will be the challenging task of future research with the newly available selective and mixed ECE-1 inhibitors to show whether the combined inhibition of more than one cardiovascular system is superior to selective inhibition.
authors.affiliation: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Pharma Division, Preclinical Research, Basel, Switzerland. bernd-m.loeffler@roche.com
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Löffler
mesh_terms: D000809:Angiotensins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000503:physiopathology; D000072396:Endothelin-Converting Enzymes; D006801:Humans; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D015260:Neprilysin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D012083:Renin / Q000502:physiology; D000092502:Renin Inhibitors
chemical_list: D000809:Angiotensins; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; D000072396:Endothelin-Converting Enzymes; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D015260:Neprilysin; D012083:Renin; D000092502:Renin Inhibitors; C000606923:ECE1 protein, human