ACE2 and portal hypertension: Moreover, our group has most recently shown that in experimental cirrhosis and portal hypertension upregulated ACE2 in the cirrhotic mesenteric vascular bed increased the production of the vasodilator Ang-(1–7) from Ang II breakdown and Ang-(1–7), in turn, markedly reduced vascular tone in the mesenteric bed of cirrhotic animals [15].