ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Components of the renin-angioten in sy tern (RAS) have been demonstrated in heart and other organs by biochemical, immunohi tochemical , and molecular biological technique . Further, many line of evidence have demon trated that angioten in ll (Ang II) i formed locally in cardiovascular tissues and that augmented formation of Ang II participate in the paracrine regulation of ti ue remodeling and cardiova cular function . The finding of multiple Ang II-forming pathway in cardiac and va cular ti ue, however, ha recently complicated interpretation of the origin of Ang II. In particular, a erine protease with extremely high catalytic efficiency for Ang I, 'chymo tatin-en itive angioten in generating enzyme' (heart chyma e) ha been identified in the human heart, purified, cloned and equenced. The purpo e of thi review wilJ be to provide evidence upponing the role of
chyma e not only in the etiology of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, but al o in other clinical di order uch as the development of athero clerotic le ion , acute coronary yndrome, metaboli m of apolipoprotein, and degradation of extracelJular matrix.
