Figure 4. RhoBTB1 Regulates BP and Arterial Stiffness.

RhoBTB1 is a PPARγ target gene in vascular smooth muscle. Its expression is decreased in S-P467L mice due to the action of the dominant negative mutation in PPARγ. A) S-P467L mice exhibited hypertension, vascular dysfunction and arterial stiffness which was not improved by tamoxifen. B) We generated a transgene which inducibly re-activates RhoBTB1 in response to Cre-recombinase. In the absence of Tamoxifen (Top), RhoBTB1 remains silent and the mice exhibit the same phenotype as S-P467L. In response to Tamoxifen, the transgene is induced and RhoBTB1 expression is restored to normal levels. This resulted in decreased BP, improved vascular function and a regression of arterial stiffness back to normal within 2 weeks of treatment. Data were previously reported in ⁸⁰.