Dr. Arthur Lee is interested in genes and factors important for the proliferation and contraction of the vascular smooth muscle cells, and regeneration of cardiomyocytes. He and his colleagues have identified homocysteine as a potent growth promoter for vascular smooth muscle cells and thus established a link between increased blood levels of homocysteine and atherosclerosis. In addition, several novel genes that may be important in regulating proliferation or phenotype of vascular smooth muscle cells have been isolated in his laboratory. He and his colleagues have also identified transforming growth factor- as a potent inhibitor for nitric oxide, a potent dilator of the blood vessel that may cause severe hypotension and death in septic shock. This finding may lead to a potential treatment for septic shock.
Heart failure develops after myocardial infarction because cardiomyocytes fail to regenerate.
Dr. Lee is interested in developing strategies to regenerate damaged myocardium. He and his colleagues have identified genes that may have important roles in the regeneration of cardiomyocytes. A correlates with permanent withdrawal of cardiomyocytes from the cell cycle in human and rat hearts. A gene during contact inhibition in vascular endothelial cells.