[Salusins and its cardiovascular effects].

Salusins are newly discovered cardiovascular active peptides, including salusin-alpha and salusin-beta, which are peptides containing 28 and 20 amino acids respectively. Salusins are widely distributed in tissuse and organs of human and rat, and have a series of cardiovascular effects, including lowering blood pressure, slowing down the heart rate, inhibiting myocardial contraction, reducing cardiac ischemic injury, and promoting hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. It is noteworthy to mention that salusin-alpha and salusin-beta are polypeptides produced by the same precursor and play opposite roles in the development and progression of atherosclerosis.