Cardiovascular Effects of Urocortin-2: Pathophysiological Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2019

Authors

Monteiro Pinto, C (Author) Other; Adao, R (Author) FMUP; Leite-Moreira AF (Author) FMUP; Brás-Silva C (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy

Vol. 33

Pages: 599-613

ISSN: 0920-3206

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 7 Citations

Scopus - 7 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00R-71Y

DOI: 10.1007/s10557-019-06895-9

Abstract (EN): Urocortin-2 (Ucn-2) is a peptide of the corticotrophin releasing factor-related family with several effects within the cardiovascular system. A variety of molecular mechanisms has been proposed to underlie some of these effects, although others remain mostly hypothetical. Growing interest in the cardiovascular properties of this peptide promoted several pre-clinical studies in the settings of heart failure and ischemia, as well as some experiments in the fields of systemic and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Most of these studies report promising results, with Ucn-2 showing therapeutic potential in these settings, and few clinical trials to date are trying to translate this potential to human cardiovascular disease. Ucn-2 also appears to have potential as a biomarker of diagnostic/prognostic relevance in cardiovascular disease, this being a recent field in the study of this peptide needing further corroboration. Regarding the increasing amount of evidence in Ucn-2 investigation, this work aims to make an updated review on its cardiovascular effects and molecular mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential, and to identify some research barriers and gaps in the study of this cardioprotective peptide.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 15