The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Its Ligands in Cardiovascular Disease
1
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
2
Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2013, 14(10), 20597-20613; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms141020597
Received: 24 July 2013 / Revised: 20 September 2013 / Accepted: 8 October 2013 / Published: 15 October 2013
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oxidative Stress in Cardiovascular Disease)
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family and its ligands serve as a switchboard for the regulation of multiple cellular processes. While it is clear that EGFR activity is essential for normal cardiac development, its function in the vasculature and its role in cardiovascular disease are only beginning to be elucidated. In the blood vessel, endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells are both a source and a target of EGF-like ligands. Activation of EGFR has been implicated in blood pressure regulation, endothelial dysfunction, neointimal hyperplasia, atherogenesis, and cardiac remodeling. Furthermore, increased circulating EGF-like ligands may mediate accelerated vascular disease associated with chronic inflammation. Although EGFR inhibitors are currently being used clinically for the treatment of cancer, additional studies are necessary to determine whether abrogation of EGFR signaling is a potential strategy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
View Full-Text
Keywords:
EGFR; EGF-like ligands; vascular disease; atherosclerosis; cardiac remodeling
▼
Show Figures
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License
MDPI and ACS Style
Makki, N.; Thiel, K.W.; Miller, F.J., Jr. The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Its Ligands in Cardiovascular Disease. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2013, 14, 20597-20613. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms141020597
AMA Style
Makki N, Thiel KW, Miller FJ Jr.. The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Its Ligands in Cardiovascular Disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2013; 14(10):20597-20613. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms141020597
Chicago/Turabian StyleMakki, Nader; Thiel, Kristina W.; Miller, Francis J., Jr. 2013. "The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Its Ligands in Cardiovascular Disease" Int. J. Mol. Sci. 14, no. 10: 20597-20613. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms141020597
Find Other Styles
Search more from Scilit