Myocardin: A novel player in atherosclerosis

Myocardin (MYOCD) the most important coactivator of serum response factor (SRF), plays a critical role specifically in the development of cardiac myocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Binding of Myocardin to the SRF on the CArG box-containing target genes can transcriptionally activate a variety of downstream muscle-specific genes, such as Sm22α, Acta2, Myh11, and several other signaling pathways. Myocardin expression represents a contractile and differentiated SMC phenotype. Loss of Myocardin, however, represents a synthetic and dedifferentiated phenotype, a hallmark in atherosclerosis. Growing evidence shows that Myocardin is involved in lipid metabolism and vascular inflammation, the primary pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Moreover, Myocardin expression level is altered in atherosclerotic patients and animal models, suggesting more extensive and important roles for Myocardin in atherosclerosis. In the current review, we summarized recent progress on the regulation and signaling of Myocardin, and highlighted its impacts on atherosclerotic disease.