The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system plays crucial roles in cardiovascular physiology
and pathophysiology. However, many of the signaling mechanisms have been unclear. The …

Snake venom metalloproteases, in addition to their contribution to the digestion of the prey,
affect various physiological functions by cleaving specific proteins. They exhibit their …

The last 20–25 years have seen an explosion of interest in the role of NADPH oxidase
(NOX) in cardiovascular function and disease. In vascular smooth muscle and endothelium …

Atherosclerosis, a chronic lipid-driven inflammatory disease affecting large arteries,
represents the primary cause of cardiovascular disease in the world. The local remodeling of …

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) promotes vascular injury and neointima formation in part by
stimulating proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). The underlying …

Collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, has garnered the interest of scientists for
over 50 years. Its ubiquitous presence in all body tissues combined with its excellent …

Astrogliosis is a hallmark of Alzheimer′ s disease (AD) and may constitute a primary
pathogenic component of that disorder. Elucidation of signaling cascades inducing …

Background and aims Increased activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 is observed in
aortas of different models of hypertension, and its activation is directly mediated by oxidative …

Smooth muscle cell (SMC) contractility is essential to vessel tone maintenance and blood
pressure regulation. In response to vasoconstrictors, calcium-dependent mechanisms …

Abstract Backgroud: Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a key mediator of inflammatory responses,
which is associated with vascular remodeling. The association between TLR4 and NOD-like …