Hedgehog Signaling: Implications in Cancers and Viral Infections.

The hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway is primarily involved in embryonic gut development, smooth muscle differentiation, cell proliferation, adult tissue homeostasis, tissue repair following injury, and tissue polarity during the development of vertebrate and invertebrate organisms. GLIoma-associated oncogene homolog (GLI) family of zinc-finger transcription factors and smoothened (SMO) are the signal transducers of the SHH pathway. Both SHH ligand-dependent and independent mechanisms activate GLI proteins.

Statin Effects on Vascular Calcification: Microarchitectural Changes in Aortic Calcium Deposits in Aged Hyperlipidemic Mice.

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Roles of parathyroid hormone (PTH) receptor and reactive oxygen species in hyperlipidemia-induced PTH resistance in preosteoblasts.

Bioactive lipids initiate inflammatory reactions leading to pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Evidence shows that they also contribute to bone loss by inhibiting parathyroid hormone receptor (PTH1R) expression and differentiation of osteoblasts. We previously demonstrated that bone anabolic effects of PTH(1-34) are blunted in hyperlipidemic mice and that these PTH effects are restored by antioxidants.