Targeting bone morphogenetic protein signaling on renal and vascular diseases.
OBJECTIVE
Normal development and adult physiology of the kidney and vasculature rely heavily on bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). Here we compile evidence that favors the notion that BMPs are also critically involved in the process of generation and maintenance of renal and vascular diseases.


RESULTS
Molecular manipulation of BMP signaling in vivo and in vitro has been instrumental in showing the protective role of BMPs on renal fibrosis and diabetic nephropathy. Similarly, activation of those pathways produces phenotypic changes in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells, tightly linked to the pathogenesis of vascular calcification, hypertrophy and atherosclerosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments targeting BMP pathway agonists and inhibitors lead to significant progress in the comprehension of renal and vascular normal and altered behavior. The demonstration that BMP signaling plays an important part in pathological conditions of the vasculature and the kidney opens up possibilities for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools.
Maciel
Thiago T
TT
Laboratoire Angiogenèse Embryonnaire et Pathologique, INSERM U833, France.
Kempf
Hervé
H
Campos
Alexandre H
AH
D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000293:injuries; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins