Remodeling of the Endothelial Extracellular Matrix (ECM) Drives Smooth Muscle Cell Hyperplasia in Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Left Heart Disease

Purpose: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a major complication of left heart disease (LHD) that ultimately leads to right ventricular failure with a poor prognosis. It is initiated by passive congestion of blood from the left heart into the pulmonary circulation and is aggravated by pulmonary arterial (PA) remodeling. PA smooth muscle cell (SMC) hyperplasia elevates PA blood pressure (PAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) by reducing the patent PA lumen. Here, we addressed the role of the endothelial ECM (the basement membrane, BM) in regulating SMC hyperplasia in PH-LHD and identified potential therapeutic targets.
Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation - Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: Source Type: research