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Updated: Sep 20, 2025

Enhancing the Engraftment of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Cardiomyocytes via a Transient Inhibition of Rho Kinase Activity
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Reducing Proteoglycan Synthesis and NOX Activity by ROCK Inhibitors: Therapeutic Targets in Atherosclerosis

Hossein Babaahmadi-Rezaei1, Maryam Rezaei1, Hossein Ghaderi-Zefrehi1

  • 1Hyperlipidemia Research Center, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders Drug Targets
|June 7, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitors show promise in treating atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory arterial disease. Targeting ROCK may slow or inhibit plaque formation, offering a potential therapeutic strategy for this condition.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Inflammation Research

Background:

  • Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory arterial disease linked to hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia.
  • Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) is a key enzyme in the RhoA signaling pathway, implicated in smooth muscle cell functions.
  • ROCK pathway dysregulation is associated with atherosclerosis and hypertension.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the potential therapeutic role of ROCK inhibitors in ameliorating atherosclerosis.
  • To investigate the involvement of ROCK signaling in proteoglycan synthesis and atherosclerotic plaque formation.

Main Methods:

  • Review of experimental studies on ROCK inhibitors and their effects on atherosclerosis.
  • Analysis of ROCK signaling pathways involved in proteoglycan synthesis via G-protein-coupled receptor agonists.

Main Results:

  • ROCK signaling influences smooth muscle cell contraction, migration, and proliferation.
  • ROCK inhibitors demonstrated favorable effects in preclinical models of atherosclerosis.
  • ROCK pathway inhibition reduced proteoglycan synthesis and atherosclerotic plaque development.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting the ROCK pathway presents a potential therapeutic strategy for inhibiting or slowing atherogenesis.
  • Further research is necessary to validate the therapeutic efficacy of ROCK inhibitors for atherosclerosis.

Keywords:
Rockatherosclerosisendothelin-1nadph oxidaseproteoglycantransactivation

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