Title:Endothelial to Mesenchymal Transition in the Cardiogenesis and Cardiovascular Diseases
Volume: 16
Issue: 4
Author(s): Taha Anbara, Masuomeh Sharifi and Nahid Aboutaleb*
Affiliation:
- Physiology Research Center, Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,Iran
Keywords:
Endothelial to mesenchymal transition, cardiovascular disease, congenital heart diseases, cardiogenesis, TGF-β.
Abstract: Today, cardiovascular diseases remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality
worldwide. Endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) does not only play a major role in the
course of development but also contributes to several cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. EndMT
is characterized by down-regulation of the endothelial proteins and highly up-regulated fibrotic
specific genes and extracellular matrix-forming proteins. EndMT is also a transforming growth factor-
β-driven (TGF-β) process in which endothelial cells lose their endothelial characteristics and
acquire a mesenchymal phenotype with expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibroblastspecific
protein 1, etc. EndMT is a vital process during cardiac development, thus disrupted EndMT
gives rise to the congenital heart diseases, namely septal defects and valve abnormalities. In this
review, we have discussed the main signaling pathways and mechanisms participating in the process
of EndMT such as TGF-β and Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), Wnt#, and Notch signaling
pathway and also studied the role of EndMT in physiological cardiovascular development and
pathological conditions including myocardial infarction, pulmonary arterial hypertension, congenital
heart defects, cardiac fibrosis, and atherosclerosis. As a perspective view, having a clear understanding
of involving cellular and molecular mechanisms in EndMT and conducting Randomized
controlled trials (RCTs) with a large number of samples for involving pharmacological agents may
guide us into novel therapeutic approaches of congenital disorders and heart diseases.