The Angiotensin AT2 Receptor: From Enigma to Therapeutic Target
Since its discovery, 25 years ago, the angiotensin AT2 receptor (AT2R) has puzzled the scientific community because of its distinct -localization, regulation, signaling pathways, and biological effects separating it clearly from the classical features of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) mediated by the angiotensin AT1 receptor. Intensive research over the years has revealed major characteristics of the AT2R as a modulatory player involved in antiproliferation, anti-inflammation, natriuresis, neuroregeneration, and apoptosis, that is, -biological programs that can counterbalance pathological processes and enable recovery from disease. The AT2R has thus mutated from an "-enigmatic" receptor to a significant member of the "protective arm" of the RAS. The recent development of novel, small molecule- and peptide-derived AT2R agonists offers a therapeutic potential in humans with a variety of clinical indications.
