Editorial Comment: Further evidence to support a role for urocortin 2 in heart failure

The urocortin (UCN) group comprises 3 structurally-related peptides which are included within the corticotropin-releasing factor family (1-3). Specific receptors for UCN2 and 3 are expressed throughout the vasculature and myocardium (4), suggesting a role for these peptides in maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis. More recently, the UCNs are receiving increasing clinical interest due to a growing body of data from human, animal and in vitro studies, which highlight the therapeutic potential of these peptides. In particular, reports of improved cardiac output in heart failure patients treated with UCN2 and observed correlations of circulating UCN1 with cardiovascular disease severity confirm that the urocortins may be novel therapeutic, diagnostic and prognostic targets [discussed in detail in ref. 5].