Cardiovascular remodeling or dysfunction-induced abnormal cardiac output,blood volume and peripheral vascular resistance is an important pathophysiological mechanism for the occurrence and development of hypertension.Cathepsins are widely expressed in human various tissue and cells and they are involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension through activation of renin-angiotensin system,degradation of cytoplasmic matrix,proliferation of smooth muscle cell and hypertrophy of myocyte.The clinical studies have found that cathepsins can be used as a biomarker for hypertension.In recent years,the studies on the functions and mechanisms of cathepsins have provided a new sight and strategy for treatment of hypertension.

The NLRP3 inflammasome, a protein complex belonging to the family of nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain like receptors (NLRs), plays a vital role in the innate immune system. It promotes pro-caspase 1 cleavage into active caspase-1, which contributes to maturation and releases of IL-1β and IL-18 in response to the harmful signals and participates in the host immune response and sterile inflammation. Recently a large number of studies have shown that NLRP3 inflammasome closely relates to the pathogenesis of the vascular diseases. NLRP3 inflammasome, which involves in the sterile inflammation of the vascular wall, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of main, middle and small arteries.
Caspase 1 ; immunology ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Inflammasomes ; immunology ; Inflammation ; complications ; genetics ; Interleukin-18 ; genetics ; immunology ; Interleukin-1beta ; genetics ; immunology ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein ; immunology ; Signal Transduction ; genetics ; immunology ; Vascular Diseases ; etiology ; genetics ; immunology