Ex vivo ASSESSMENT OF ANGIOTENSIN METABOLISM IN TISSUES

Over the past three decades the new peptides of renin angiotensin system (RAS) (e.g. Ang-(1-7), Ang IV, Ang-(1-12)) and pathways (e.g. ACE2) have been described. It has also become clear that besides endocrine action in systemic circulation, various angiotensins can be generated and act locally, via autocrine and/or paracrine manner. Due to methodological problems direct measurement of the formation of angiotensins in tissues is challenging. Based on LC-ESI-MS method we recently established ex vivo system for assessment of angiotensin metabolites. Here, we present the summary of our preliminary results regarding angiotensin metabolism in various rat tissues (aorta, renal artery, heart, stomach wall and various kinds of adipose tissue) as well as preliminary results from human experiments. Our results reveal great tissue diversity of predominant pathways of angiotensin metabolism. The functional implications of noted differences require further investigation.