Angiotensinogen gene transcription in pulmonary fibrosis.

An established body of literature supports the hypothesis that activation of a local tissue angiotensin (ANG) system in the extravascular tissue compartment of the lungs is required for lung fibrogenesis. Transcriptional activation of the angiotensinogen (AGT) gene is believed to be a critical and necessary step in this activation. This paper summarizes the data in support of this theory and discusses transcriptional regulation of AGT, with an emphasis on lung AGT synthesis as a determinant of fibrosis severity. Genetic data linking AGT polymorphisms to the severity of disease in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis are also discussed.