[Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 and its emerging role in the regulation of the renin angiotensin system].

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a key role in the regulation of cardiovascular and renal function. Thus, RAS blockade with an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and/or angiotensin receptor blocker decreases blood pressure, cardiovascular events, and delays the progression of kidney disease. The discovery of ACE2, a homologue of ACE, capable of degrading angiotensin II to angiotensin 1-7, may offer new insights into the RAS. In this review we discuss the possible protective role of ACE2 in different organs, namely heart, lungs and kidneys. The role of this enzyme is inferred from recent studies performed using genetically manipulated mice that lack the ACE2 gene and also mice treated with pharmacological ACE2 inhibitors. These results suggest that ACE2 might be a new therapeutic target within the RAS.