Arterial Hypertension and Interleukins: Potential Therapeutic Target or Future Diagnostic Marker?

Figure 1

Etiology of the inflammatory process. Low level chronic inflammation increases the concentrations of markers and of inflammatory cells, leading to increased production of C-reactive protein (CRP) by the liver, in response to interleukin-6 (IL-6), which provokes a reduction in vasodilation and an increase in vascular damage. TNF-a: tumor necrosis factor alpha; IL-6: interleukin-6; CRP: C-reactive protein; NO: nitric oxide; ET-1: endothelin-1.