A novel growth arrest homeobox gene has been discovered and the nucleotide sequences
have been determined in both the rat and the human. The expression of the novel
homeobox gene inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell growth. The growth arrest homeobox
gene hereinafter referred to as the "Gax gene" and its corresponding proteins are
useful in the study of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and in the treatment
of blood vessel diseases that result from excessive smooth muscle cell proliferation,
particularly after balloon angioplasty.
