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Local Ocular Renin–Angiotensin System – A Target for Glaucoma Therapy?
Author(s) -
Vaajanen Anu,
Vapaatalo Heikki
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
basic and clinical pharmacology and toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.805
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1742-7843
pISSN - 1742-7835
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-7843.2011.00729.x
Subject(s) - renin–angiotensin system , glaucoma , intraocular pressure , in vivo , angiotensin ii , pharmacology , neuroprotection , captopril , medicine , ocular hypertension , endocrinology , ophthalmology , receptor , biology , blood pressure , microbiology and biotechnology
An active local intraocular renin–angiotensin system (RAS) has recently been shown to exist in the human eye, and evidence is now accumulating that antihypertensive drugs acting on RAS can also lower intraocular pressure. They seem also to work as neuroprotective agents against retinal ganglion cell loss in vivo ; though no compounds are in ophthalmological use at present. Classically, the highly vasoconstrictive angiotensin II (Ang II) is the key peptide in the circulatory RAS. However, the final effect of RAS activation at tissue level is more complex, being based not only on the biological activity of Ang II but also on the activities of other products of angiotensinogen metabolism, often exerting opposite effects to Ang II action.