[The role of angiogenetic factors in the pathogenesis and the progression of cardiac valve disease].

Recently, the aging of population and the changing dietary habit to western-style have led to increase in atherosclerotic diseases, such as myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction, in our country. Aortic valve diseases, whose mechanism is similar to atherosclerosis, are also increasing. The medication proved to be effective does not exist, and surgical management is major in treatment of these diseases. Although development of safer medication is expected, little is known about their molecular mechanism of the pathogenesis and the progression. The balance of angiogenetic and angioinhibitory factors is important for normal developing and homeostasis in many organs. The tissue of cardiac valves is mostly avascular like cartilages and tendons, although the heart is the organ having abundance of vessels. We focused on angiogenetitic and angioinhibitory factors expressing in the cartilages and tendons, and found Chondromodulin- I, Tenomodulin and Periostin have crucial roles in degeneration of the cardiac valve by controlling angiogenesis and production of Matrix metalloproteinase protein (MMP) . Now, we review the mechanism of cardiac valve disease focusing on the role of angiogenetic factors.