Hedgehog Signaling Pathway is Linked with Age-Related Diseases

Abstract

Disorders related to chronic inflammation and ageing such as metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis, osteoporosis and cancers appear to have different pathogenesis. However, by studying the pathways related to the stem cell (SC) signaling network, like Hedgehog signaling and in particular its influence on the adipogenesis - osteogenesis interaction, we could find a close link between the pathogenesis of these disorders. Hedgehog signaling is an active pathway during embryogenesis that seems to be silent in adults. However, it strongly affects the maintenance of adult tissue homeostasis and the highly proliferative and differentiated cells (e.g., SCs, adipocytes and osteocytes). Malfunction of these cells is considered as the basic etiology of a group of age-related diseases such as atherosclerosis, osteoporosis and cancer.