TY - JOUR
T1 - Relaxin and its role in the development and treatment of fibrosis
AU - Bennett, Robert G.
N1 - Funding Information:
Supported by NIAAA Grant AA015509 , the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Bly Memorial Research Fund.
PY - 2009/7
Y1 - 2009/7
N2 - Relaxin, which is a peptide hormone of the insulin superfamily, is involved in the promotion of extracellular matrix remodeling. This property is responsible for many well-known reproductive functions of relaxin. Recent important findings, including the identification of the relaxin receptor and the development of the relaxin-null mouse, have identified new targets and mechanisms for relaxin's actions, which resulted in unprecedented advances in the field. Relaxin has emerged as a natural suppressor of age-related fibrosis in many tissues, which include the skin, lung, kidney, and heart. Furthermore, relaxin has shown efficacy in the prevention and treatment of a variety of models of experimentally induced fibrosis. The intention of this review is to present a summary of recent advances in relaxin research, with a focus on areas of potential translational research on fibrosis in nonreproductive organs.
AB - Relaxin, which is a peptide hormone of the insulin superfamily, is involved in the promotion of extracellular matrix remodeling. This property is responsible for many well-known reproductive functions of relaxin. Recent important findings, including the identification of the relaxin receptor and the development of the relaxin-null mouse, have identified new targets and mechanisms for relaxin's actions, which resulted in unprecedented advances in the field. Relaxin has emerged as a natural suppressor of age-related fibrosis in many tissues, which include the skin, lung, kidney, and heart. Furthermore, relaxin has shown efficacy in the prevention and treatment of a variety of models of experimentally induced fibrosis. The intention of this review is to present a summary of recent advances in relaxin research, with a focus on areas of potential translational research on fibrosis in nonreproductive organs.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.trsl.2009.03.007
DO - 10.1016/j.trsl.2009.03.007
M3 - Review article
C2 - 19524867
AN - SCOPUS:66949114470
VL - 154
SP - 1
EP - 6
JO - Translational Research
JF - Translational Research
SN - 1931-5244
IS - 1
ER -