title: RHO SIGNALING in vascular diseases.
abstract: Rho signaling pathways in vascular smooth muscle cells are highly activated in hypertension, a condition associated with a variety of vascular diseases, including restenosis injury and atherosclerosis. In this review we suggest that inflammatory cytokines and agonists of G protein-coupled receptors that activate Rho are effective triggers of vascular disease. Accordingly, Rho kinase inhibitors and statins may have therapeutic potential for preventing vascular disease characterized by Rho-mediated cell proliferation and gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of California at San Diego, School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0636, USA.
authors.forename: Tammy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Seasholtz
authors.forename: Joan Heller
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins