BACKGROUND Vasorin (SLITL2, slit-like 2 (Drosophila)) is a secreted type I membrane protein that participates in vertebrate axis patterning, axon guidance, and vessel development (1). Vasorin contains tandem leucine-rich repeats, an EGF-like motif, and a fibronectin type III-like motif in the extracellular domain. Vasorin transcripts appear in aorta, with moderate expression in kidney and placenta. Vasorin directly binds to transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and attenuates TGF-βsignaling in vitro. Down-regulation of vasorin expression contributes to neointimal formation after vascular injury and this mechanism modulates response to pathological stimuli in vessel walls. Subsequently, vasorin is a potential therapeutic target for vascular fibroproliferative disorders (2)
REFERENCES
1. Chen, L., et al. 2005. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 336: 364-371 .
2. Ikeda, Y., et al. 2004. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1 01 : 1 0732-1 0737.
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