## 4 Discussion
LTBPs associate with microfibrils to anchor TGF-\(\beta\) in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and are required for the correct assembly of ECM components [41]. LTBP1 plays an important role in skin and bone ECM assembly and homeostasis [42]. GP extract induced the expression of 11 genes involved in the response to growth factors (GO:0070848). Of these, the _MYCCD_ gene encoding myocardium plays an important role as a master regulator of smooth muscle gene expression [43]. _VTN_ gene encodes vitronectin protein, a glycoprotein in the hemopexin family that is abundantly present in the serum of the ECM and bone [44]. In addition, two genes (_SOX2_ and _SOX5_) are transcription factors in the SRY-box transcription factor (SOX) family, and their expression was highly upregulated by GP extract treatment. SOX family transcription factors are involved in diverse cellular developmental processes with functional redundancy [45]. _ERBB4_ encodes the epidermal growth factor receptor-4 protein and is required for normal tissue development, such as the heart and nervous system, and tumor suppression [46]. _CLDN5_ is a member of the claudin family and is an integral membrane protein specific to tight junctions that provide a protective paracellular barrier [47]. _FGF1_, which encodes fibroblast growth factor 1, plays a vital role in embryonic development, wound healing, neurogenesis, angiogenesis, and the control of type 2 diabetes mellitus [48]. _GRB10_ is a member of the growth factor receptor-bound protein family and a negative regulator of insulin signaling and action [49]. _TMEM204_ is a member of the transmembrane protein (TMEM) family and is required for angiogenesis and tumorigenesis [50]. We found that nine genes upregulated by the GP extract were involved in heart development (GO:0007507). Of these nine genes, five, namely _LTBPI_, _MYCCD_, _ERBB4_, _TH_, and _CLDN5_, were required for the response to growth factors (GO:0070848). Therefore, these five genes specifically function as growth factors in heart development. In addition to the other four genes associated with heart development, _SCN5A_, which encodes the alpha subunit of the main cardiac sodium channel, is associated with multiple cardiac disorders, such as cardiac conduction system dysfunction and dilated cardiomyopathy [51]. A previous study showed that mutations in the _DNAH5_ gene encoding dynein cause primary ciliary dyskinesia with outer dynein arm defects [52]. Moreover, mutations in _CSRP3_, a member of the CSRP family containing the LIM domain, cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic cardiac disease, and the most common cause of sudden cardiac death [53]. Glooma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (_GLI1_) is a zinc finger transcription factor involved in the hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway, required for normal cell growth and differentiation [54]. In our study, a Wikipathway analysis revealed that the HH signaling pathway (WP47) was enriched in the genes upregulated by the GP extract. Our results are consistent with those of a previous study in which the aqueous extract of GP showed positive cardiovascular effects [55]. However, aberrant HH signaling due to truncated GLII can cause several human cancers [56]. GP extract has been widely used as an anticancer agent, and several studies have shown the inhibitory activity of GP extracts against cancer cells in vivo and in vitro [57]. In our study, several GP extract-upregulated genes, such as _ERBB4_ and _GL1_, are associated with diverse cancers. The main compounds in GP extract were sprenosides, followed by sterols, flavonoids, and polysaccharides. Therefore, we hypothesized that GP sprenosides could play important roles as anticancer agents. Reactome pathway analysis revealed that several genes associated with elastic fibers (R-HSA-2129379), collagen chain trimerization (R-HSA-8948216), and elastic fiber formation (R-HSA-1566948) were upregulated. Elastic fibers are important connective tissue components that provide elasticity and resilience to the skin, lungs, and blood vessels [58].