title: Angiotensin type 2 receptors: blood pressure regulation and end organ damage.
abstract: In most situations, the angiotensin AT2-receptor (AT2R) mediates physiological actions opposing those mediated by the AT1-receptor (AT1R), including a vasorelaxant effect. Nevertheless, experimental evidence vastly supports that systemic application of AT2R-agonists is blood pressure neutral. However, stimulation of AT2R locally within the brain or the kidney apparently elicits a systemic blood pressure lowering effect. A systemic effect of AT2R stimulation on blood pressure can also be achieved, when the prevailing effect of continuous background AT1R-stimulation is attenuated by low-dose AT1R blockade. Despite a lack of effect on blood pressure, AT2R stimulation still protects from hypertensive end-organ damage. Current data and evidence therefore suggest that AT2R agonists will not be suitable as future anti-hypertensive drugs, but that they may well be useful for end-organ protection in combination with established anti-hypertensives.
authors: Dept. of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
authors: Colin
authors: C
authors: Sumners
authors: Dept. of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
authors: Annette D
authors: AD
authors: de Kloet
authors: Dept. of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
authors: Eric G
authors: EG
authors: Krause
authors: CARIM, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Unger
authors: IMM - Dept. of Cardiovascular & Renal Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark. Electronic address: usteckelings@health.sdu.dk.
authors: Ulrike Muscha
authors: UM
authors: Steckelings
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D044139:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2 / Q000819:agonists / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D044139:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2