Regulatory Role of Brg1 and Brm in the Vasculature: From Organogenesis to Stress-Induced Cardiovascular Disease

ATPase-dependent chromatin remodeling complex encompasses a group of evolutionarily conserved proteins that utilize energy derived from ATP hydrolysis to drive nucleosome movement contributing to transcriptional regulation. Brahma-related gene 1 (Brg1) and Brahma (Brm) are the core components of the mammalian remodeling complex. The past decade has witnessed a great expansion in our knowledge regarding the role of Brg1 and Brm in modulating the function of the cardiovascular system (CVS) under both physiological conditions and disease states owing much to the availability of tissue-specific Brg1/Brm-null animals. This review summarizes the current proceedings on how Brg1 and Brm contribute to the morphogenesis within the CVS and importantly, how Brg1 and Brm maintain the homeostasis of adult organisms, the disruption of which bears clear implications in the pathogenesis of such cardiovascular diseases as atherosclerosis and cardiac hypertrophy. Keywords: Cardiovascular disease, chromatin remodeling, Brg1, Brm, transcriptional regulation, epigenetics, development