Abstract:
Previous studies have indicated the importance of the membrane-anchored MMP regulator
RECK in several events during mouse development, including maintenance o f tissue
integrity, angiogenesis, myogenesis, and chondrogenesis. It has been shown that Vascular
Smooth Muscle Cells (VSMC) and Vascular Endothelial Cells (VEC) express RECK.
Recently siRNA technology is widely used to study the function of genes especially in
vitro. Using siRNA technique, we have manipulated the RECK expression in Human
Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells (HVSMC) and Human Vascular Endothelial Cells
(HUVEC). Our findings indicate HVSMC changed its morphology in the absence of
RECK and showed the altered integrin expression in the absence of RECK, HUVEC
proliferated profusely and its vessel formation ability in vitro was also altered in the
absence of RECK. These findings indicates that RECK might play a key role in
functioning of HUVEC and HVSMC.
