APLN and diabetes mellitus: ACE2 converts Ang II to Ang1-7 or Ang I to Ang1-9, thereby counteracting the effects of the renin–angiotensin system on the cardiovascular system (75), suggesting that the beneficial effects of Apelin-13 on glucose and lipid metabolism in rats with DM are mainly mediated by the NO activation pathway and/or ACE1/Ang (1-7).