Connective tissue growth factor expression after angiotensin II exposure is dependent on transforming growth factor-β signaling via the canonical Smad-dependent pathway in hypertensive induced myocardial fibrosis

Abstract

We demonstrated that CTGF expression is dependent on TGF-β signaling both in vitro and in vivo in a model of myocardial fibrosis. This also suggests that early myocardial CTGF mRNA expression (six hours) after Ang-II exposure is likely dependent on latent TGF-β activation via the canonical Smad-dependent pathway in resident cardiac cells.