Papel de la angiotensina II en el proceso aterosclerótico
- Miana Ortega, María
- Heras Jiménez, Natalia de las
- Martín Fernández, Beatriz
- Valero, María
- Martínez, Ernesto
- Ballesteros, Sandra
- Jurado, Raquel
- Cachofeiro Ramos, María Victoria
- Lahera Juliá, Vicente
ISSN: 0214-9168, 1578-1879
Año de publicación: 2012
Volumen: 24
Número: 2
Páginas: 92-101
Tipo: Artículo
Otras publicaciones en: Clínica e investigación en arteriosclerosis
Resumen
Angiotensin II, the effector peptide of the renin-angiotensin system, may be involved in various factors affecting the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. There is abundant experimental evidence that both pharmacological antagonism of angiotensin II formation by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition and blockade of angiotensin II by angiotensin type I receptor blockade inhibits the formation and progression of atherosclerotic lesions. Angiotensin II is able to stimulate the production of reactive oxygen species in blood vessels, which play a key role in endothelial dysfunction and oxidation of low-density lipoproteins. In addition, angiotensin II participates in the induction of the inflammatory response in the vascular wall through the production of adhesion molecules and chemotaxic and proinflammatory cytokines. This peptide stimulates the proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells and modulates phenotypic changes in these cells, thus increasing the synthesis of extracellular matrix. Finally, angiotensin II also contributes to the complications of atherosclerosis by favoring plaque rupture and thrombogenicity. Therefore, angiotensin II plays an important role both in the beginning of the process �promoting endothelial dysfunction� in atherosclerotic lesion progression, in plaque rupture, and in the occurrence of thrombotic accidents.