Is aCE2 activity increased in monocyte-derived macrophages from prehypertensive subjects?
PreHTN subjects have higher ACE2-II activity compared with HTN subjects, suggesting a protective role for ACE2 in the early stage of HTN development, probably by accelerated degradation of the vasopressor AngII.
Our results suggest that OP-1 is an important endogenous cartilage factor that regulates matrix integrity and possibly needs to be induced or up-regulated to maintain normal cartilage homeostasis. These findings confirm our hypothesis that a lack of autocrine OP-1 may lead to an elevated susceptibility of chondrocytes to the catabolic processes, thus contributing/promoting cartilage degeneration.