Loss of the Coronary Artery Disease Risk Gene LMOD1 in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Triggers Rapid-Onset Coronary Atherosclerosis
Salem AR, Kumar A, Doja J, Wally A, Ge C, Robichaud S, Slivano OJ, Griffin SH, Marshall B, Perry E, Franklin JL, Seeley EH, Dong K, Boczkowska M, Csanyi G, Bryant WB, Vazquez-Padron RI, Nanda V, Dominguez R, Long X, Miano JM. Loss of the Coronary Artery Disease Risk Gene LMOD1 in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Triggers Rapid-Onset Coronary Atherosclerosis. Circulation. 2026 Sep 15;154(11):992-1011. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.126.080105. Epub 2026 Aug 4. PMID: 42549503; PMCID: PMC13440021.
Abstract
Background: Atherosclerosis is the primary underlying cause of coronary artery disease. LMOD1 is a coronary artery disease risk gene whose role in coronary artery pathophysiology is unknown. Whole-body loss of Lmod1 causes a lethal neonatal visceral myopathy in mice, necessitating unique approaches for the study of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypes.