Mitochondrial Fusion Protein-2 and Cardiovascular Disease

Mitochondrial fusion protein-2(mitofusin-2,Mfn2) is a novel gene identified by Kuang-Hueih Chen using a differential display technique,which inhibits vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation and promotes apoptosis in vivo through Ras-Raf-ERK/MAPK and Ras-PI3K-Akt signal pathways.Mfn2 has several characteristics including: expression is negatively correlated with blood pressure,rMfn2 gene expression is noticeably down regulated in hyperplasic arterial lesions,adenovirus gene transfer rMfn2 can prevented rat carotid artery restenosis after balloon angioplasty.This indicates that Mfn2 and cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension,coronary heart disease,atherosclerosis and restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention have a close relationship.Mfn2 may provide a new approach for hypertension,coronary heart disease,vascular restenosis,and other cardiovascular disease.