Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 Promotes Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling in Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension

Bone morphogenetic protein 4 promotes pulmonary vascular remodeling in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.

We show that 1 of the type II bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptor ligands, BMP4, is widely expressed in the adult mouse lung and is upregulated in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH). Furthermore, heterozygous null Bmp4(lacZ/+) mice are protected from the development of hypoxia-induced PH, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, and vascular remodeling. This is associated with ...

Control Vascular Remodeling in Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension

Carbon monoxide promotes hypoxic pulmonary vascular remodeling.

CO is a biologically active gas that produces cellular effects by multiple mechanisms. Because cellular binding of CO by heme proteins is increased in hypoxia, we tested the hypothesis that CO interferes with hypoxic pulmonary vascular remodeling in vivo. Rats were exposed to inspired CO (50 parts/million) at sea level or 18,000 ft of altitude [hypobaric hypoxia (HH)], and changes in vessel mor...

Downregulation of type II bone morphogenetic protein receptor in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.

Heterozygous mutations in the type II receptor for bone morphogenetic protein (BMPR-II) and dysfunction of BMPR-II have been implicated in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PH). To clarify the possible involvement of BMP and BMPR-II in the development of hypoxic PH, the expression of BMP-2, BMPR-II, and their downstream signals were investigated in rat lung under normal and hypoxic ...

BONE MORPHOGENETIC PROTEIN SIGNALING IN HERITABLE VERSUS IDIOPATHIC PULMONARY HYPERTENSION BMP signaling in Pulmonary Hypertension

Mutations in gene encoding for bone morphogenetic protein type 2 receptor (BMPR-2) have been reported in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but their functional relevance remains incompletely understood. BMP receptors expression was evaluated in human lungs and in cultured pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) isolated from 19 idiopathic PAH patients and 9 heritable PAH patients wit...