01 January 2015 by Sachindra Joshi
Signal transduction pathways implicated in pathogenesis of vascular remodeling relevant to pulmonary hypertension

Signal transduction pathways implicated in pathogenesis of vascular remodeling relevant to pulmonary hypertension. Panel A: miR-21 may increase vascular smooth muscle cell number by targeting proteins that regulate cell proliferation (PTEN) and apoptosis (Bcl2). Changes in miR-21 expression have been observed in lung tissues and in vascular smooth muscle in animal models of pulmonary hypertension. Panel B: miR221 promotes vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation by silencing the cell cycle inhibitor p27Kip1. Panel C: miR-204 downregulated in pulmonary hypertension in animals and in human leukocytes can indirectly promote cell proliferation. Derepression of SHP2 expression activates a Src/Stat3 cascade that promotes vascular smooth muscle proliferation.
Additional keywords: microRNA,genetics,proliferation,apoptosis,miR-21