Effects of angiotensin-(1–7) and angiotensin II on vascular tone in human cirrhotic splanchnic vessels

Abstract

Evidence suggests that the renin angiotensin system (RAS) may play a role in the pathological splanchnic vasodilatation that leads to a hyperdynamic circulation in cirrhosis. An impaired contractile response to the angiotensin II peptide of the classical RAS system has been described in animal models of cirrhosis and in vivo in cirrhotic subjects. Furthermore, in experimental cirrhosis, the so-called alternate arm of the RAS was found to be upregulated and its effector peptide, angiotensin-(1–7) was shown to attenuate splanchnic vascular tone. The aim of this study was to explore the relevance of these findings to human disease. Omental arteries from cirrhotic and controls subjects were stud..