The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2/angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas receptor axis: a potential target for treating thrombotic diseases

• Published in: Thrombosis and haemostasis Vol. 108; no. 6; p. 1089
• Main Authors: Fraga-Silva, Rodrigo A, Da Silva, Danielle G, Montecucco, Fabrizio, Mach, François, Stergiopulos, Nikolaos, da Silva, Rafaela F, Santos, Robson A S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.12.2012
• Subjects: Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers - pharmacology; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Hemostasis - drug effects; Hemostasis - physiology; Humans; Models, Cardiovascular; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A - physiology; Proto-Oncogene Proteins - physiology; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 - physiology; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled - physiology; Renin-Angiotensin System - drug effects; Renin-Angiotensin System - physiology; Thrombosis - blood; Thrombosis - drug therapy; Thrombosis - physiopathology
• ISSN: 0340-6245
• DOI: 10.1160/TH12-06-0396

Despite many therapeutic advances leading to increasingly effective drug treatments, thrombotic events (such as ischaemic stroke, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis and acute myocardial infarction) still represent a major worldwide cause of morbidity and mortality. Remarkable effort has been made to identify new drug targets. There is growing evidence indicating that the recently described counter-regulator axis of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), composed of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), Angiotensin-(1-7) and the Mas receptor, has protective effects against thrombosis. In addition, it could be considered as a promising target for treating or preventing this disease. In this narrative review, we focused on the recent findings of the role of the ACE2/Angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas axis on the haemostatic process and its therapeutic potential.