Focal Adhesion Kinase Drives Rho/ROCK and mTOR Signaling to Protect and Augment Aortic Dissections

Authors

Zhen Zhou
Pujun Guan
Ripon Sarkar
Yang Yu
Alexis Richard
Dar Weiss
Yuki Kawamura
Chen Zhang
Yanming Li
Tomas Vaisar
Daniel R Martin
L Maximillian Buja
Zhouxuan Li
Kartik Venkatachalam
Ying H Shen
Scott A LeMaire
Jay D Humphrey
Dianna M Milewicz

Language

English

Publication Date

9-1-2025

Journal

JACC: Basic to Translational Science

DOI

10.1016/j.jacbts.2025.101353

PMID

40753710

PMCID

PMC12375202

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

8-5-2025

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

Dysfunctional mechanosensing via focal adhesions (FAs) significantly contributes to thoracic aortic dissection in the β-aminopropionitrile mouse model by triggering FA kinase activation and subsequent Rho/ROCK and mTOR signaling pathways. The present findings indicate that these signaling pathways play distinct roles in ascending vs descending dissections. Specifically, in the ascending aorta, smooth muscle cell FA kinase-Rho/ROCK signaling acts as a beneficial adaptive mechanism to prevent dissections, whereas mTOR signaling is pathogenic and contributes to dissections.

Keywords

aortic dissection, extracellular matrix, focal adhesion kinase, lysyl oxidase, mTOR, Rho/ROCK

Published Open-Access

yes

Recommended Citation

Zhou, Zhen; Guan, Pujun; Sarkar, Ripon; et al., "Focal Adhesion Kinase Drives Rho/ROCK and mTOR Signaling to Protect and Augment Aortic Dissections" (2025). Faculty, Staff and Students Publications. 6461.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/baylor_docs/6461