Increased Smad2/3 Phosphorylation in Circulating Leukocytes and Platelet-Leukocyte Aggregates in a Mouse Model of Aortic Valve Stenosis: Evidence of Systemic Activation of Platelet-Derived TGF-β1 and Correlation with Cardiac Dysfunction

摘要

BackgroundTransforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of aortic valve stenosis (AS). There is, however, little direct evidence for a role of active TGF-β1 in AS due to the sensitivity of current assays. We searched for evidence of plasma TGF-β1 activation by assaying Smad2/3 phosphorylation in circulating leukocytes and platelet-leukocyte aggregates (PLAs) in a mouse model of AS (Reversa).