Professor Kong Wei, from the Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, and his team have recently published their research findings on Circ Res, the authoritative cardiovascular journal, titled “Unspliced XBP1 Confers VSMC Homeostasis and Prevents Aortic Aneurysm Formation via Fox04 Interaction” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29089350). Their study revealed the functioning mechanism of unspliced XBP1 preventing aortic aneurysm formation via regulating vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic transition.

 Diagram of the Signal Path of XBP1u-FoxO4-Myocardin Regulating Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypic Transition

　　Aortic Aneurysm is an extremely dangerous cardiovascular disease, the pathogenesis of which is still unknown and hence effective medication yet to be found.  Professor Kong Wei’s team disclosed the connecting molecules between the phenotypic transition of vascular smooth muscle cells and the onset of aortic aneurysm, thus providing a new approach to the search for new targets in the prevention and treatment of aortic aneurysm.

　　Written by: Lang Lang

　　Edited by: Liu Xin

　　Source: School of Basic Medical Sciences