ACtivating Sonic Hedgehog Signals Triggers Growth of New Blood Vessels in the Heart
Filed in archive Drugs, Vaccines and Therapeutics , Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics on June 16, 2006
In attempt to bypass damaged tissues and clogged arteries in patients with Coronary artery disease, scientists have tried to prompt the heart to develop new blood vessels by stimulating blood-vessel growth factors.
Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown that stimulating Sonic hedgehog singaling proteins (previously also linked to bone and fat regulation) in mice models can increase new blood vessels in the heart.
"Our study is the first to identify that hedgehog signaling pathways are operational in the developing and mature heart," says senior author David Ornitz, M.D., Ph.D., the Alumni Endowed Professor of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology.
These findings suggest that therapetics targeting hedgehog signalling proteins may be developed as an alternative treatment for patients with ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarctions, especially for those who are not eligible for cardiac bypass surgery.
More from Washington University's medical news release.
Tags: atherosclerosis cardiovascular biotech blood vessels blood+vessels vessels+heart sonic+hedgehog
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Response from:
The neurophilosopher
(06/16/06 2:16pm)
Response from:
ruth
(06/16/06 7:09pm)
yes, i did mention in the previous entry that the sonic pathway is primarily inolved in early fetal development.
however, i wouldn't worry about cyclopia just yet. most likely, it will result to some sort of gene therapy but this study could still be decades (if at all) away from being an approved therapy.
however, i wouldn't worry about cyclopia just yet. most likely, it will result to some sort of gene therapy but this study could still be decades (if at all) away from being an approved therapy.
Response from:
oxytocin
(06/18/06 1:04am)
Nice to see hedghogs getting the attention they deserve
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Any therapies for cardiovascular disease could have potentially disastrrous side effects in pregnant women - one effect of Sonic mutations is cyclopia!