Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 18, 2026

Suppression of Pro-fibrotic Signaling Potentiates Factor-mediated Reprogramming of Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts into Induced Cardiomyocytes
09:16

Suppression of Pro-fibrotic Signaling Potentiates Factor-mediated Reprogramming of Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts into Induced Cardiomyocytes

Published on: June 3, 2018

7.8K

Recent patents on Rho signaling pathway as therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases

Erding Hu1

  • 1Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis, Center of Excellence for Cardiovascular and Urogenital Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithkline Pharmaceuticals, 709 Swedeland Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406, USA. Erding.Hu@gsk.com

Recent Patents on Cardiovascular Drug Discovery
|January 29, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Targeting the Rho signaling pathway, which regulates cell functions, offers therapeutic potential for cardiovascular diseases and other conditions. Modulating Rho protein or its effectors like Rho kinase shows promise for treating hypertension and myocardial infarction.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cellular Signaling
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Rho proteins are key regulators of cellular functions, including proliferation, migration, and cytoskeletal organization.
  • Their activity, controlled by GTP/GDP binding and hydrolysis, is influenced by various physiological and pathophysiological stimuli.
  • Dysregulation of Rho signaling is implicated in numerous diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the cellular functions of the Rho signaling pathway.
  • To explore therapeutic strategies targeting Rho and its downstream effectors (Rho kinase, LIM kinase).
  • To emphasize the potential applications in cardiovascular diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of current knowledge on Rho signaling.
  • Analysis of recent patents and therapeutic modalities.
  • Focus on disease mechanisms and therapeutic interventions.

Main Results:

  • Rho protein activation/inactivation is a critical cellular process.
  • Targeting Rho, Rho kinase, and LIM kinase shows therapeutic promise.
  • Potential applications include hypertension, angina, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, tumor metastasis, and spinal cord injury.

Conclusions:

  • The Rho signaling pathway is a significant target for therapeutic intervention.
  • Modulating Rho pathway components offers potential treatments for various human diseases, particularly cardiovascular conditions.
  • Further research and development of targeted therapies are warranted.

More Related Videos

Enhancing the Engraftment of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Cardiomyocytes via a Transient Inhibition of Rho Kinase Activity08:00

Enhancing the Engraftment of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Cardiomyocytes via a Transient Inhibition of Rho Kinase Activity

Published on: July 10, 2019

6.7K
Viral Transgene Expression in Rodent Hearts and the Assessment of Cardiac Arrhythmia Risk05:15

Viral Transgene Expression in Rodent Hearts and the Assessment of Cardiac Arrhythmia Risk

Published on: July 27, 2022

2.2K

Related Concept Videos

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
8.0K
G Protein-coupled Receptors01:15

G Protein-coupled Receptors

G Protein-Coupled Receptors or GPCRs are membrane-bound receptors that transiently associate with heterotrimeric G proteins and induce an appropriate response to sensory stimuli such as light, odors, hormones, cytokines, or neurotransmitters.
GPCRs are also called heptahelical, 7TM, or serpentine receptors, and consist of seven (H1-H7) transmembrane alpha-helices that span the bilayer to form a cylindrical core. The transmembrane helices are connected by three extracellular loops and three...
20.2K
Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway01:28

Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway

Nitric oxide (NO), an inorganic gas, acts as a potent second messenger in most animal and plant tissues. NO diffuses out of the cells that produce it and enters the neighboring cells to generate a downstream response. NO synthase (NOS) catalyzes NO production by the deamination of the amino acid arginine. There are three isoforms of NOS. Endothelial cells have endothelial NOS (eNOS), nerve and muscle cells have neuronal NOS (nNOS), and macrophages produce inducible NOS (iNOS) upon exposure...
7.0K
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors01:27

Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors

Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
5.1K
Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System01:26

Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System

The activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) contributes to cardiac remodeling, and inhibiting the RAAS is a pharmacological target in heart failure management. As a result, neurohumoral modulation is a crucial treatment principle for managing heart failure. This approach involves using medications like ACE inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), β-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and neutral...
1.5K
Antianginal Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers and Ranolazine01:25

Antianginal Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers and Ranolazine

Angina pectoris, a primary symptom of ischemic heart disease, requires careful pharmacological interventions. In this context, calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and ranolazine have emerged as crucial pharmacotherapeutic agents, providing deep insights into the complexities of angina management.
CCBs, a diverse class that includes dihydropyridines (nifedipine) and diphenylalkylamines (verapamil and diltiazem), exert their effect by blocking calcium channels in cardiac and smooth muscle cells. This...
1.9K