“…By acting on AT1 receptors ( Kummer et al, 2008 ), Angiotensin II (Ang II), indeed, induces free radical generation, activates dendritic cells, stimulates synthesis and release of proinflammatory and chemoattractant cytokines, promotes the expression of endothelial adhesion molecules and leukocyte margination and migration in tissues ( Benigni et al, 2010 ). Similar effects have been demonstrated also in the lung where Ang II promotes free oxygen radical formation ( Wang et al, 2017 ), enhances vascular permeability and edema formation ( Zhang and Sun, 2005 ), and contributes to tissue damage and remodeling by promoting the apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells ( Wang et al, 1999 ) and the proliferation of fibroblasts ( Marshall et al, 2000 ). Ang II proinflammatory effects are homeostatically counteracted by another RAS peptide, Angiotensin (1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] that is generated by the alternative metabolism of Ang I or Ang II by ACE2 ( Silva and Teixeira, 2016 ), an 805 amino acids transmembrane metallopeptidase, cloned 20 years ago by Tipnis et al (2000) .…”