title: TGF-β Signaling in Control of Cardiovascular Function.
abstract: Genetic studies in animals and humans indicate that gene mutations that functionally perturb transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling are linked to specific hereditary vascular syndromes, including Osler-Rendu-Weber disease or hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia and Marfan syndrome. Disturbed TGF-β signaling can also cause nonhereditary disorders like atherosclerosis and cardiac fibrosis. Accordingly, cell culture studies using endothelial cells or smooth muscle cells (SMCs), cultured alone or together in two- or three-dimensional cell culture assays, on plastic or embedded in matrix, have shown that TGF-β has a pivotal effect on endothelial and SMC proliferation, differentiation, migration, tube formation, and sprouting. Moreover, TGF-β can stimulate endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, a process shown to be of key importance in heart valve cushion formation and in various pathological vascular processes. Here, we discuss the roles of TGF-β in vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and lymphangiogenesis and the deregulation of TGF-β signaling in cardiovascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Cancer Genomics Centre Netherlands, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marie-José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Goumans
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Cancer Genomics Centre Netherlands, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ten Dijke
mesh_terms: D030301:Activin Receptors, Type II / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000209:etiology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002450:Cell Communication; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000209:etiology; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013683:Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic / Q000209:etiology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C425364:ACVRL1 protein, human; D030301:Activin Receptors, Type II