title: Serelaxin: A Novel Therapeutic for Vascular Diseases.
abstract: Vascular dysfunction is an important hallmark of cardiovascular disease. It is characterized by increased sensitivity to vasoconstrictors, decreases in the endothelium-derived vasodilators nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin (PGI2), and endothelium-derived hyperpolarization (EDH). Serelaxin (recombinant human relaxin) has gained considerable attention as a new vasoactive drug, largely through its beneficial therapeutic effects in acute heart failure. In this review we first describe the contribution of endogenous relaxin to vascular homeostasis. We then provide a comprehensive overview of the novel mechanisms of serelaxin action in blood vessels that differentiate it from other vasodilator drugs and explain how this peptide could be used more widely as a therapeutic to alleviate vascular dysfunction in several cardiovascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
authors.forename: Chen Huei
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Leo
authors.affiliation: School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jelinic
authors.affiliation: School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
authors.forename: Hooi Hooi
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; School of Rural Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tare
authors.affiliation: School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia. Electronic address: ljparry@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Parry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000378:metabolism; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D012065:Relaxin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; C577649:serelaxin protein, human; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D012065:Relaxin; D011464:Epoprostenol
keywords: endothelium; nitric oxide; prostanoids; serelaxin; vascular dysfunction