TSP-1 plasma levels in hypertensive patients with endothelial dysfunction after one year of treatment with ACE inhibitors.

Aim: Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a potent endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis. It is also involved in tissues perfusion, endothelial cell proliferation, homeostasis, inflammation and maintaining vascular tonus. Its exact role in cardiovascular disorders is far from being completely understood and it depends on the receptors that it stimulates. So, we aimed to evaluate the variation of this marker in hypertensive patients with endothelial dysfunction (ED) in one year of treatment with ACE inhibitors.