The identification of thrombospondin-1 as an angiogenesis inhibitor in 1990 prompted
interest in its role in cancer biology and potential as a therapeutic target. Decreased …

Angiogenesis is vital to developmental, regenerative and repair processes. It is normally
regulated by a balanced production of pro-and anti-angiogenic factors. Alterations in this …

Background: TSP1 (thrombospondin-1)—a well-known angiogenesis inhibitor—mediates
differential effects via interacting with cell surface receptors including CD36 (cluster of …

Limited proteolysis of thrombospondins is a powerful mechanism to ensure dynamic tuning
of their activities in the extracellular space. Thrombospondins are multifunctional …

Rationale: The progressive disruption of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, particularly
early elastin fragmentation followed by abnormalities in collagen fibril organization, are key …

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are the predominant cell type in the medial layer of
the aorta, which plays a critical role in the maintenance of aortic wall integrity. VSMCs have …

Background Inflammation plays an important role in the progression of sporadic aortic
dissection (AD). Immune cells, especially macrophages, infiltrate the aorta and secrete …

Thrombospondins (TSPs) are multidomain, secreted proteins that associate with cell
surfaces and extracellular matrix. In mammals, there is a large body of data on functional …

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a vascular disorder greatly threatening life of the elderly
population. Dexmedetomidine (DEX), an α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, has been shown to …

The immune response holds a pivotal role in cardiovascular disease development. As
multifunctional cells of the innate immune system, macrophages play an essential role in …