Role of transforming growth factor—β1 in the pathogenesis of moyamoya disease

Abstract

Object. Prominent features of moyamoya disease are intimal thickening of the cerebral arterial trunks and abundant angiogenesis for collateral blood supplies, but its pathogenesis is still unknown. The aim of this study was to test the possibility that transforming growth factor—β1 (TGFβ1) may play a role in the pathogenesis of moyamoya disease. Methods. The authors used reverse transcription—polymerase chain reaction to analyze the expression level of TGFβ1 in smooth-muscle cells cultured from the superficial temporal arteries (STAs) and measured the serum level of TGFβ1 by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Although the STA is not predominantly involved with moyamoya disease, it has been used in studies of the pathogenesis of this disease. In this report, the STAs from six patients with moyamoya disease and four with arteriosclerotic cerebrovascular disease, along with sera from 14 patients with moyamoya disease and 10 normal healthy volunteers, were studied. The expression of TGFβ1 was significan...