Smooth Muscle–Targeted Knockout of Connexin43 Enhances Neointimal Formation in Response to Vascular Injury

Abstract
Objective— Vascular disease alters and reduces connexin expression and a reduction in connexin 43 (Cx43) expression diminishes the extent of atherosclerosis observed in a high-cholesterol diet murine model. We hypothesized that connexins might play a role in the smooth muscle cell response to vascular injury.