Urotensin II and cardiovascular diseases.
Urotensin II (UII) has been found to be a potent vasoactive peptide in humans and in a number of relevant animal models of cardiovascular disease such as the mouse, rat and other non-human primates. This peptide with structural homology to somatostatin was first isolated from the urophysis of fish and was recently found to bind to an orphan receptor in mouse and human. Initially found to have potent vasoconstrictive activities in a variety of vessels from diverse species, it has also been shown to exert vasodilatation in certain vessels in the rat and human by various endothelium-dependent mechanisms. The various vasoactive properties of UII suggest that the peptide may have a physiological role in maintaining vascular tone and therefore may have a role in the pathophysiology of a number of human diseases such as heart failure. Moreover, UII has also been implicated as a mitogen of vascular smooth muscle cells suggesting a deleterious role in atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. In addition, there is evidence to demonstrate that UII has multiple metabolic effects on cholesterol metabolism, glycemic control and hypertension and therefore may be implicated in the development of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome.
Department of Medicine, Montreal General Hospital, McGill University Health Center, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Suite L3-109, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1A4, Canada.
George
G
Thanassoulis
Thao
T
Huyhn
Adel
A
Giaid
D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology; D008322:Mammals; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology; D014579:Urotensins / Q000502:physiology*
D014579:Urotensins; C029677:urotensin II