title: The angiotensin type 2 receptor and the kidney.
abstract: Angiotensin II is a main regulator of kidney function. Renal actions mediated by the angiotensin AT1 receptor have been well known for many years. In contrast, several details of angiotensin AT2 receptor actions in kidney physiology and pathophysiology were only described very recently. These findings are reviewed in this article.
  
  
  
  Regarding the role of the angiotensin AT2 receptor in kidney physiology, a major recent finding was that the AT2 receptor-mediated inhibition of Na-H exchanger-3 and Na/K-ATPase in the renal proximal tubules is caused by internalisation of these transporters, thus reducing reabsorption and increasing natriuresis/diuresis. Regarding renal pathology, several studies demonstrated an attenuation of renal injury caused by diabetes or by obesity with or without high-salt diet through anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic, and antioxidative mechanisms. Generally, AT2 receptor expression seems increased and AT2 receptor-mediated effects stronger in female and obese animals.
  
  
  
  The recent findings about the role of the angiotensin AT2 receptor in renal health and disease strongly suggest that pharmacological targeting of this receptor with selective agonists is a promising therapeutic strategy for inducing diuresis/natriuresis (also additive to established diuretics) and for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy or kidney disease of other pathogenesis.
authors: aDepartment of Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Institute for Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark bNational Institute of Science and Technology in Nanobiopharmaceutics, Belo Horizonte, Brazil cCARIM, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors: Antonio A B
authors: AA
authors: Peluso
authors: Robson A S
authors: RA
authors: Santos
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Unger
authors: U Muscha
authors: UM
authors: Steckelings
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D004231:Diuresis; D006801:Humans; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000378:metabolism*; D009318:Natriuresis; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D044139:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2 / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D000074083:Sodium-Hydrogen Exchanger 3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D044139:Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2; C000613385:SLC9A3 protein, human; D000074083:Sodium-Hydrogen Exchanger 3; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase