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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

ACtivating Sonic Hedgehog Signals Triggers Growth of New Blood Vessels in the Heart
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.

Permalink: ACtivating Sonic Hedgehog Signals Triggers Growth of New Blood Vessels in the Heart

Tags: atherosclerosis  cardiovascular  biotech  blood  vessels  blood+vessels  vessels+heart  sonic+hedgehog 

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