Does shift of Macrophage Phenotype Due to Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein Deficiency drive Atherosclerotic Calcification?
These results reveal that COMP deficiency acted via integrin β3 to drive macrophages toward the atherogenic and osteogenic phenotype and thereby aggravate atherosclerotic calcification.
As the vas deferens seems to be one of the tissues most susceptible to a reduction in the normal CFTR transcripts levels, and as two mild mutations are sufficient to induce CBAVD phenotype, these findings raise the possibility that these uncommon variants may be a novel cause of CBAVD.