Jamie Kang

[Cell Death & Differentiation] By utilizing smooth muscle NCOR1 knockout mice, scientists demonstrated that smooth muscle NCOR1 deficiency decreased expression of contractile genes, impaired stress fiber formation, and reduced synthesis of elastin and collagens, manifesting a degradative phenotype of vascular smooth muscle cells.

[American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology] Scientists studied lung tissues from elderly asthmatics to explore whether senescent airway muscle cells contributed to airway structural or functional changes. They found greater airway fibrosis and senescence-associated secretory phenotype components than age-matched and younger non-asthmatics that may contribute to airway remodeling.

[Endocrinology and Metabolism] Researchers investigated whether DN200434 inhibited proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and subsequently suppressed neointima formation in a mouse carotid artery ligation model.

[Communications Biology] The authors provide an up-to-date perspective on the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC). They discuss the relationship between muscle cell mechanics and function, as well as the recent research for a role of the DGC in mechanotransduction and maintaining biomechanical integrity of muscle cells.