Lack of DUSP5 Protein Leads to Pulmonary Hypertension and Heart Enlargement in Mice

Article title: DUSP5-mediated inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation suppresses pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy

Authors: Bradley S. Ferguson, Sara A. Wennersten, Kimberly M. Demos-Davies, Marcello Rubino, Emma L. Robinson, Maria A. Cavasin, Matthew S. Stratton, Andrew M. Kidger, Tianjing Hu, Stephen M. Keyse, Robert A. McKnight, Robert H. Lane, Eva S. Nozik, Mary C. M. Weiser-Evans, Timothy A. McKinsey

From the authors: “Here, we provide evidence that [dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSP5)], which resides in the nucleus and specifically dephosphorylates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), blocks pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. In response to angiotensin II infusion, mice lacking DUSP5 develop pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular cardiac hypertrophy.”

This study is highlighted as one of August’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program.