title: Protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) in cardiovascular system.
abstract: Vascular system is constituted by a complex and articulate network, e.g. arteries, arterioles, venules and veins, that requires a high degree of coordination between different elemental cell types. Proteinase-activated receptors (PARs) constitute a recent described family of 7-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors that are activated by proteolysis. In recent years several evidence have been accumulated for an involvement of this receptor in the response to endothelial injury in vitro and in vivo experimental settings suggesting a role for PAR2 in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular system. This review will deal with the role of PAR2 receptor in the cardiovascular system analyzing both in vivo and in vitro published data. In particular this review will deal with the role of this receptor in vascular reactivity, ischemia/reperfusion injury, coronary atherosclerotic lesions and angiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy. mrbucci@unina.it
authors.forename: Mariarosaria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bucci
authors.forename: Fiorentina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roviezzo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cirino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D044464:Receptor, PAR-2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D044464:Receptor, PAR-2