Mohammed Shatat, M.D.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a serious disease characterized by elevated pressure in the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the lungs. This causes the right side of the lung to become strained and, over time, can lead to heart failure. We have found that KLF4, a molecule present in the endothelial cells lining the blood vessels has a protective effect against the development of PAH. We will study the role of KLF4 in regulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which participate in repairing damaged endothelial cells and are being studied for treating PAH. Understanding the role of KLF4 in regulating EPC function may help enhance their use in therapy.