title: Angiotensin II-related hypertension and eye diseases.
abstract: Systemic vascular disease, especially hypertension, has been suspected as a risk factor for some eye diseases including, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Hypertension can contribute to chronic diseases by hemodynamic injury and/or cellular actions induced by hypertension-related hormones or growth factors. Among the most important is Angiotensin II (Ang II), which controls blood pressure and induces different cellular functions that may be dependent or independent of its effect on blood pressure. Importantly, as is true for heart, kidney and other organs, the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is present in the eye. So, even in the absence of hypertension, local production of Ang II could be involved in eye diseases. The goal of this manuscript is to review the most relevant scientific evidence supporting the role of the RAS activation, in the development of age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, and highlight the importance of Ang II in the etiology of these diseases.
authors.affiliation: Pablo Jesus Marin Garcia, Maria Encarna Marin-Castaño, Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, United States.
authors.forename: Pablo Jesus
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Marin Garcia
authors.affiliation: Pablo Jesus Marin Garcia, Maria Encarna Marin-Castaño, Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, United States.
authors.forename: Maria Encarna
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Marin-Castaño
keywords: Age-related macular degeneration; Angiotensin II; Angiotensin receptors; Angiotensin-related hypertension; Blood flow; Diabetic retinopathy; Hypertension; Renin-angiotensin system; Retinal microvasculature