The role of betaglycan in pulmonary vascular development and homeostasis (A03)

• Subject Area: Pneumology, Thoracic Surgery
• Term: from 2016 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 268555672

The objective is to assess the role played by the accessory transforming growth factor (TGF)-β receptor betaglycan (also called Tgfbr3) in pulmonary vascular development associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and pulmonary vascular remodeling associated with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Our preliminary data indicate (i) that betaglycan expression is downregulated in both BPD and PH, and (ii) that betaglycan regulates the proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells, and the angiogenic capacity of endothelial cells. We plan to delineate the relevance of changes in betaglycan regulation to the pathogenic pathways operative in BPD and PH.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1213: Pulmonary Hypertension and Cor Pulmonale
• Applicant Institution: Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
• Project Head: Professor Rory Edward Morty, Ph.D.