title: SM22alpha modulates vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype during atherogenesis.
abstract: The function of cytoskeletal proteins in the modulation of vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotype during vascular disease is poorly understood. In this report, we used a combination of gene targeting and Cre/lox-mediated cell fate mapping in mice to investigate the role of SM22alpha, an SMC-specific cytoskeletal protein of unknown function, in the development of atherosclerosis. In hypercholesterolemic ApoE-deficient mice, genetic ablation of SM22alpha resulted in increased atherosclerotic lesion area and a higher proportion of proliferating SMC-derived plaque cells. These results identify a role for SM22alpha in the regulation of SMC phenotype during atherogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Technische Universität, Biedersteiner Str. 29, 80802 München, Germany. feil@ipt.med.tu-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Feil
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Feil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division; D019070:Cell Lineage; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010641:Phenotype; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; C058992:Tagln protein, mouse; C051615:transgelin