Jumonji is a potential regulatory factor mediating nitric oxide-induced modulation of cardiac hypertrophy.
OBJECTIVE
Jumonji (jmj) is the prototypical member of the jmj domain-containing protein family. It regulates the expression of several genes, in particular genes involved in cardiac cell growth in the embryonic heart. The function of jmj in the mature or developed heart, however, is unclear.


RESULTS
We propose that JMJ domain 2A family may be involved in modulating the development of cardiac hypertrophy through interactions with cell cycle-regulatory proteins, specifically retinoblastoma protein, cyclin D and transcription factor E2F, that lead to cell growth. Because nitric oxide can block the development of cardiac hypertrophy and upregulate both jmj gene and protein expression, we propose that jmj is a novel regulatory factor mediating nitric oxide-induced modulation of cardiac hypertrophy.


CONCLUSIONS
Jmj may be a critical, previously unrecognized factor that 'counteracts' the development of cardiac hypertrophy. Biotechnology approaches to increase its expression may be a potential therapeutic strategy to mitigate the increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with cardiac hypertrophy.
Rabkin
Simon W
SW
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. rabkin@interchange.ubc.ca
Klassen
Shaun S
SS
D000818:Animals; D016213:Cyclins / Q000378:metabolism; D050684:E2F Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D056484:Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
D016213:Cyclins; D050684:E2F Transcription Factors; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D056484:Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases; C494424:KDM4A protein, human; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating