Gene regulation and arteriosclerosis: are developmental programs reactivated in vascular disease?
The molecular mechanisms regulating the development of vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis remain poorly understood at present. Similarities between genetic programs observed during the course of vascular disease with those observed during vascular development suggest that developmental processes are recapitulated in vascular disease. The earliest event in vascular development is the differentiation of endothelial cells from their mesodermally-derived hemangioblastic precursors. The receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor, KDR/flk-1, plays a critical role in these earliest stages of vascular development. During development and in the adult, expression of this receptor is restricted to vascular endothelial cells and their immediate precursors. We have therefore endeavored to determine the transcriptional events regulating KDR/flk-1 expression, with the hope of gaining insight into processes of vascular development that might also be important in vascular diseases of the adult.
Patterson
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University of Texas Medical Branch, Division of Cardiology and Sealy Center for Molecular Cardiology, Galveston 77555-1064, USA. cpatters@utmb-edu
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000502:physiology; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor