Cellular and molecular mechanisms of pulmonary vascular remodeling: role in the development of pulmonary hypertension.
Pulmonary artery vasoconstriction and vascular remodeling greatly contribute to a sustained elevation of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The development of PAH involves a complex and heterogeneous constellation of multiple genetic, molecular, and humoral abnormalities, which interact in a complicated manner, presenting a final manifestation of vascular remodeling in which fibroblasts, smooth muscle and endothelial cells, and platelets all play a role. Vascular remodeling is characterized largely by medial hypertrophy due to enhanced vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation or attenuated apoptosis and to endothelial cell over-proliferation, which can result in lumen obliteration. In addition to other factors, cytoplasmic Ca2+ in particular seems to play a central role as it is involved in both the generation of force through its effects on the contractile machinery, and the initiation and propagation of cell proliferation via its effects on transcription factors, mitogens, and cell cycle components. This review focuses on the role played by cellular factors, circulating factors, and genetic molecular signaling factors that promote a proliferative, antiapoptotic, and vasoconstrictive physiological milieu leading to vascular remodeling.
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093, USA.
Mehran
M
Mandegar
Yuan-Cheng B
YC
Fung
Wei
W
Huang
Carmelle V
CV
Remillard
Lewis J
LJ
Rubin
Jason X-J
JX
Yuan
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D052006:Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type II; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D005246:Feedback; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006984:Hypertrophy; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D009154:Mutation; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D014655:Vascular Resistance; D014661:Vasoconstriction
D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012701:Serotonin; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C498218:BMPR2 protein, human; D052006:Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type II