1. ¹Department of Pathology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
2. ²Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Pediatric Surgery Research Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
3. ³Research Service, VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Correspondence: Dr Jeffrey M. Davidson, Department of Pathology C-3321 MCN, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 21st and Garland Sts., Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2561, USA. E-mail: jeff.davidson@vanderbilt.edu

Received 1 February 2006; Revised 7 April 2006; Accepted 10 April 2006.

Abstract

Gene expression profiling of mouse skin wounds has led to the discovery of numerous target genes that may have therapeutic or diagnostic value. Among these, cardiac ankyrin repeat protein (CARP, ankrd1) expression was markedly and persistently elevated in several cutaneous compartments. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of CARP and its regulation in biological systems. In addition to its role as a nuclear transcription cofactor in many cell types including vascular endothelium, CARP is also a structural component of the sarcomere. CARP transcripts are prominent in cardiogenesis and muscle injury, and they are under complex regulation by cytokines, hypoxia, doxorubicin, and other forms of stress. CARP overexpression in wounds by adenoviral gene transfer leads to a high vascular density, and CARP exerts effects on endothelial behavior. The unusual cellular distribution and actions of CARP make it a novel candidate gene in tissue repair.