Fig. 3
From: Noncoding RNAs implication in cardiovascular diseases in the COVID-19 era
The renin-angiotensin system. ACE2 can cleave both Angiotensin I and Angiotensin II to generate Ang 1-9 and Ang 1-7, respectively. Ang 1-9 and Ang 1-7, in turn, bind Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor (AT2R) and MAS and have vasodilatory, pro-apoptotic, anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects. ACE2 converts Angiotensin I to Angiotensin II, which through the binding to AT1R has opposite effects, i.e. vasoconstriction, anti-apoptotic, pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory effects