Fig 2: A RAS cascade. ACE = angiotensin-converting enzyme, ACE2 = angiotensin-converting enzyme-related carboxypeptidase, Ang I,II,III,IV = angiotensin I,II,III,IV, Ang (1–10) = angiotensin (1–10), Ang (1–8) = angiotensin (1–8), Ang (2–8) = angiotensin (2–8), Ang (3–8) = angiotensin (3–8), Ang (1–9) = angiotensin (1–9), Ang (1–7) = angiotensin (1–7), Ang (1–5) = angiotensin (1–5), Ang (3–7) = angiotensin (3–7), AT1 = angiotensin II type 1 receptor, AT2 = angiotensin II type 2 receptor, AT4 = angiotensin II type 4 receptor, AP = aminopeptidase (-A,-N,-M,-B), CAGE = chymostatin-sensitive Ang II-generating enzyme, Mas-receptor = Ang (1–7) receptor type, Nep = neprilysin, PEP = prolyl endopeptidase, PC-P = prolylcarboxy-peptidase, tPA = tissue-type plasminogen activator. (Vaajanen et al. 2008a, a modified version)

Fig 3: Expression of Mas-receptor in the human kidney. a Mas-R (in red, black arrows) is especially found in the cells of glomerulus, tubulus and vascular endothelium. b No corresponding staining was observed in the negative control sample by omission of primary antibodies. Magnification 200×

Fig 4: Immunohistochemical staining of Mas-R in the human cornea. a Many of the basal and superobasal epithelial cells were stained (in red, indicated by black arrows). b No corresponding staining was observed in the negative control sample. Magnification 200×

Fig 5: Representative western blots of (A) ACE, AT1, Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3 and (B) ACE2, Mas and caspase-3, in the lung and (C) quantification of ACE2, ACE, AT1 and Mas expression levels and (D) quantification of apoptosis factors expression. Data are presented as the mean ± standard deviation. *P<0.05, **P<0.01 and ***P<0.001 vs. control; #P<0.05, ##P<0.01 and ###P<0.001 vs. APE-CA group; &P<0.05 and &&&P<0.001 vs. ROSC-SA group. APE, acute pulmonary embolism; CA, cardiac arrest; ROSC, return of spontaneous circulation; SA, saline; Cap, captopril; ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme; AT1, angiotensin receptor type-1; Mas, Mas1 proto-oncogene G protein-coupled receptor. ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme; AT1, ACE-Ang II-Ang II type1; Bcl-2, B-cell lymphoma-2; Bax, Bcl-2-associated X protein.