ACE2/Angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas and the brain

Maria José Campagnole-Santos; Marco Antônio Peliky Fontes; Thiago Verano-Braga; Andrea Siqueira Haibara; Michael Bader; Robson A S Santos

doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2025.149739

ACE2/Angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas and the brain

Brain Res. 2025 May 31:1863:149739. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2025.149739. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Maria José Campagnole-Santos¹, Marco Antônio Peliky Fontes¹, Thiago Verano-Braga¹, Andrea Siqueira Haibara¹, Michael Bader², Robson A S Santos³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physiology and Biophysics, INCT-Nanobiofar, Biological Sciences Institute, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
² Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin-Buch, Germany; University of Lübeck, Institute for Biology, Lübeck, Germany; Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Berlin, Germany.
³ Department of Physiology and Biophysics, INCT-Nanobiofar, Biological Sciences Institute, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address: robsonsant@gmail.com.

PMID: 40456479
DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2025.149739

Abstract

It is well known that the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a key role in regulating blood pressure and hydroelectrolyte balance. In addition to angiotensin (Ang) II, Ang-(1-7) has emerged as an important component of this system. Here we review evidence regarding the presence and actions of ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/Mas receptor pathway within the central nervous system, where the RAS possesses a crucial role in controlling cardiovascular, metabolic and stress-coping behavior functions. The involvement of this non-canonical RAS pathway in the brain mechanisms related to hypertension will also be discussed.

Keywords: Angiotensin; Autonomic regulation; Baroreflex; Chemoreflex; Stress and anxiety; Stroke.