Figure 6 | Scientific Reports

Figure 6

From: The protein Deleted in Breast Cancer-1 (DBC1) regulates vascular response and formation of aortic dissection during Angiotensin II infusion

Figure 6

Working model for DBC1 role in the control of vascular response during ANGII-mediated hypertension. In basal conditions, the aorta is composed of a heterogeneous mixture of smooth muscle, nerves, endothelial cells, fibroblast-like cells, and a complex extracellular matrix which maintains balance to guarantee an appropriate blood flow. During hypertension, ANGII promotes VSMCs proliferation, extracellular matrix turnover, and inflammatory environment. However, in aortas from DBC1 KO mice, increased MMPs expression (represented as small scissors) leads to arterial wall weakening. This effect, in combination with micro ruptures of small vessels in the vasa vasorum and tunica media, leads to the formation of IMH and AD. Also, decreased VSMC proliferation in response to hypertension in DBC1 KO mice exacerbates the impaired vascular response to hypertension.

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