Fig. 2.

Interplay between the RAS and the metabolic syndrome. Specific factors of the metabolic syndrome (hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, obesity defined as elevated waist circumference) regulate the expression of components of the RAS that activate ANG II production and responsiveness in specific tissues/cell types. Regulated production, catabolism, or secretion of RAS components from pivotal cell types (smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, adipocytes, pancreatic islet cells, kidney cells, brain cells) results in angiotensin peptide-mediated mechanisms that then augment or contribute to the development of specific aspects of the metabolic syndrome.