The four-and-a-half LIM domain protein 2 regulates vascular smooth muscle phenotype and vascular tone.

ABSTRACT: In response to vascular injury, differentiated vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) undergo a unique process known as "phenotype modulation," transitioning from a quiescent, "contractile" phenotype to a proliferative, "synthetic" state. We have demonstrated previously that the signaling pathway of bone morphogenetic proteins, members of the transforming growth factor beta family, play a role in the induction and maintenance of a contractile phenotype in human primary pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. In this study, we show that a four-and-a-half LIM domain protein 2 (FHL2) inhibits transcriptional activation of vSMC-specific genes mediated by the bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathway through the CArG box-binding proteins, such as serum response factor and members of the myocardi

SUBMITTER: Neuman NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2676052 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature