Summary
It is conceivable that the extent and spatio-temperal expression of dozens or even
a few hundred genes are significantly altered during the development and progression
of atherosclerosis as compared to normal circumstances. Differential gene expression
in vascular cells and in blood cells, due to gene-gene and gene-environment interactions
can be considered the molecular basis for this disease. To comprehend the coherence
of the complex genetic response to systemic and local atherosclerotic challenges,
one needs accessible high through-put technologies to analyze a panel of differentially
expressed genes and to describe the interactions between and among their gene products.
Fortunately, new technologies have been developed which allow a complete inventory
of differential gene expression, i.e. DD/RT-PCR, SAGE and DNA micro-array. The initial
data on the application of these technologies in cardiovascular research are now being
reported. This review summarizes a number of key observations. Special attention is
paid to a few central transcription factors which are differentially expressed in
endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells or monocytes/ macrophages. Recent data on the
role of nuclear factor- B (NF-κB) and peroxisome proliferation-activating receptors
(PPARs) are discussed. Like the PPARs, the NGFI-B subfamily of orphan receptors (TR3,
MINOR and NOT) also belongs to the steroid/thryroid hormone receptor superfamily of
transcription factors. We report that this subfamily is specifically induced in a
sub-population of neointimal smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, intriguing new data
implicating the Sp/XKLF family of transcription factors in cell-cell communication
and maintenance of the atherogenic phenotype are mentioned. A member of the Sp/XKLF
family, the shear stress-regulated lung Krüppel-like factor (LKLF) is speculated to
be instrumental for the communication between endothelial cells and smooth muscle
cells. Taken together, the expectation is that the fundamental knowledge obtained
on atherogenesis and the data that will be acquired during the coming decade with
the new, powerful high through-put methodologies will lead to novel modalities to
treat patients suffering from cardiovascular disease. In view of the phenotypic changes
of vascular and blood-borne cells during atherogenesis, therapeutic interventions
likely will focus on reversal of an acquired phenotype by gene therapy approach or
by using specific drugs which interfere with aberrant gene expression.
Key words
Atherogenesis - vascular cells - NF-κB - PPARs - NGFI-B - LKLF