title: Expression of BMP4 in myocardium and vascular tissue of obese mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity is regarded as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) is a proinflammatory and profibrotic factor, and the reduced expression of this molecule in obese mice seems to be inconsistent with the known proinflammatory effects of obesity. Therefore, we studied BMP4 expression and inflammation in the myocardial tissue and aortas of obese mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four-week-old ob/ob mice were used as the experimental group, and C57BL/6 mice comprised the control group. Animals were sacrificed after a 12-week full diet, and then the blood, heart, abdominal aorta, and inguinal adipose tissue were collected. The expression of BMP4 mRNA and protein in the heart and aorta was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group, but expression was lower in adipose tissue. Inflammation measured by the expression of IL-1β and IL-9 mRNA and protein and Smad1 and phosphorylated Smad1/5/8 protein in the heart and aorta was higher in the experimental group than in the control group. In addition, the expression of BMP4 in the serum was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BMP4 is significantly overexpressed in the myocardial tissue and aortas of obese mice, and mediates local inflammatory responses.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Wuxi Clinical Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province China.
authors: Ting
authors: T
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Cardiology, Wuxi Clinical Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province China.
authors: Qiu-Yang
authors: QY
authors: Ling
authors: Department of Cardiology, 101 Hospital of PLA, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province China.
authors: Cheng
authors: C
authors: Zhong
authors: Department of Cardiology, 101 Hospital of PLA, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province China.
authors: Tian-Xiao
authors: TX
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Cardiology, 101 Hospital of PLA, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province China.
authors: Lu-Lu
authors: LL
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Cardiology, 101 Hospital of PLA, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province China.
authors: Xiao-Ying
authors: XY
authors: Wang
authors: Central Laboratory, Zhenjiang No.4 People's Hospital, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province China.
authors: Zhao-Liang
authors: ZL
authors: Su
authors: Department of Cardiology, Wuxi Clinical Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province China ; Department of Cardiology, 101 Hospital of PLA, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province China.
authors: Gang-Jun
authors: GJ
authors: Zong
keywords: BMP4; Cardiovascular disease; Inflammation; Obesity