MARKED SPECIES-DIFFERENCE IN THE VASCULAR ANGIOTENSIN II-FORMING PATHWAYS - HUMANS VERSUS RODENTS

Using isolated arteries, we demonstrated a marked difference in the angiotensin II-forming systems between human and rodent vessels. In human arteries, only 30 - 40% of the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II depended on the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), and the rest of the angiotensin II formation was ascribed to chymostatin-sensitive angiotensin II-generating enzyme (CAGE). On the contrary, angiotensin II formation in rodent arteries totally depended upon ACE, without any sign of CAGE involvement. Such a marked species-difference can be relevant to the reported difference between humans and rodents in the ACE inhibitor effects on the myointimal hyperplasia after intimal balloon injury.