CELL-CYCLE PROGRESSION - NEW THERAPEUTIC TARGET FOR VASCULAR PROLIFERATIVE DISEASE

Entry into and progression of vascular cells through the cell cycle is considered a key event in vascular proliferative diseases. Multiple g rowth factors and cytokines have been found to regulate vascular cell proliferation. However, the machinery regulating cell cycle represents the ''final common pathway'' of these signaling cascades and thus pro vides an attractive therapeutic target for the prevention of vascular proliferative diseases. This review focuses on the current understandi ng of the regulation of the cell cycle machinery especially as it rela tes to vascular cell biology and the feasibility of targeting cell cyc le for the prevention of restenosis after balloon angioplasty and bypa ss vein graft disease.