title: ACE2/ANG-(1-7)/Mas pathway in the brain: the axis of good.
abstract: The last decade has seen the discovery of several new components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Among them, angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) and the Mas receptor have forced a reevaluation of the original cascade and led to the emergence of a new arm of the RAS: the ACE2/ANG-(1-7)/Mas axis. Accordingly, the new system is now seen as a balance between a provasoconstrictor, profibrotic, progrowth axis (ACE/ANG-II/AT(1) receptor) and a provasodilatory, antifibrotic, antigrowth arm (ACE2/ANG-(1-7)/Mas receptor). Already, this simplistic vision is evolving and new components are branching out upstream [ANG-(1-12) and (pro)renin receptor] and downstream (angiotensin-IV and other angiotensin peptides) of the classical cascade. In this review, we will summarize the role of the ACE2/ANG-(1-7)/Mas receptor, focusing on the central nervous system with respect to cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, chronic heart failure, and stroke, as well as neurological diseases. In addition, we will discuss the new pharmacological (antagonists, agonists, activators) and genomic (knockout and transgenic animals) tools that are currently available. Finally, we will review the latest data regarding the various signaling pathways downstream of the Mas receptor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Cardiovascular Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Srinivas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sriramula
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lazartigues
mesh_terms: D000803:Angiotensin I / Q000502:physiology*; D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000502:physiology*; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000502:physiology*; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000502:physiology; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D000803:Angiotensin I; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; C000705307:ACE2 protein, human; C000705328:Ace2 protein, mouse; C000705329:Ace2 protein, rat; D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; C118790:angiotensin I (1-7)