scholarly journals Mechanical stretch is a highly selective regulator of gene expression in human bladder smooth muscle cells

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosalyn M. Adam ◽  
Samuel H. Eaton ◽  
Carlos Estrada ◽  
Ashish Nimgaonkar ◽  
Shu-Ching Shih ◽  
...  

Application of mechanical stimuli has been shown to alter gene expression in bladder smooth muscle cells (SMC). To date, only a limited number of “stretch-responsive” genes in this cell type have been reported. We employed oligonucleotide arrays to identify stretch-sensitive genes in primary culture human bladder SMC subjected to repetitive mechanical stimulation for 4 h. Differential gene expression between stretched and nonstretched cells was assessed using Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM). Expression of 20 out of 11,731 expressed genes (∼0.17%) was altered >2-fold following stretch, with 19 genes induced and one gene (FGF-9) repressed. Using real-time RT-PCR, we tested independently the responsiveness of 15 genes to stretch and to platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), another hypertrophic stimulus for bladder SMC. In response to both stimuli, expression of 13 genes increased, 1 gene (FGF-9) decreased, and 1 gene was unchanged. Six transcripts (HB-EGF, BMP-2, COX-2, LIF, PAR-2, and FGF-9) were evaluated using an ex vivo rat model of bladder distension. HB-EGF, BMP-2, COX-2, LIF, and PAR-2 increased with bladder stretch ex vivo, whereas FGF-9 decreased, consistent with expression changes observed in vitro. In silico analysis of microarray data using the FIRED algorithm identified c-jun, AP-1, ATF-2, and neurofibromin-1 (NF-1) as potential transcriptional mediators of stretch signals. Furthermore, the promoters of 9 of 13 stretch-responsive genes contained AP-1 binding sites. These observations identify stretch as a highly selective regulator of gene expression in bladder SMC. Moreover, they suggest that mechanical and growth factor signals converge on common transcriptional regulators that include members of the AP-1 family.

2002 ◽  
Vol 283 (6) ◽  
pp. F1192-F1199 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Galvin ◽  
R. William G. Watson ◽  
James I. Gillespie ◽  
Hugh Brady ◽  
John M. Fitzpatrick

Our understanding of the pathophysiology of the overactive bladder is poor. It has been proposed that localized contractions result in the abnormal stretching of bladder smooth muscle. We hypothesize that stretch regulates the cellular processes that determine tissue size. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of stretch on apoptosis, proliferation, cell hypertrophy, and growth factor production in human bladder smooth muscle cells in vitro. Normal human detrusor muscle was obtained from patients undergoing radical cystectomy for invasive bladder cancer, and primary cultures were established. Cells were mechanically stretched on flexible plates at a range of pressures and times. Apoptosis was assessed by propidium iodide incorporation and flow cytometry. Radiolabeled thymidine and amino acid incorporation were used to assess proliferation and cell hypertrophy. ELISA and RT-PCR were used to assess growth factor production. Mechanical stretch inhibits apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner and was associated with increases in the antiapoptotic proteins heat shock protein-70 and cIAP-1. Stretch also increases smooth muscle cell proliferation and hypertrophy, but hypertrophy is the more dominant response. These changes were associated with increases in IGF-1 and basic FGF and a decrease in transforming growth factor-β1. Mechanical stretch regulates apoptosis, proliferation, and cell hypertrophy in human bladder smooth muscle cells.


1990 ◽  
Vol 125 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. E. Bornfeldt ◽  
H. J. Arnqvist ◽  
G. Norstedt

ABSTRACT The aim of this investigation was to study the regulation of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) gene expression in cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells. Near-confluent cells were deprived of serum for 24 h and then exposed to IGF-I, insulin, serum, basic fibroblast growth factor (basic FGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB; consisting of B-chain homodimer) or GH for 24 h. Levels of IGF-I mRNA were measured by solution hybridization. The level of IGF-I mRNA was markedly decreased by 10% (v/v) newborn calf serum (78 ± 4 (s.e.m.) % decrease), 1 nmol basic FGF/1 (53 ± 8%), and 1 nmol PDGF-BB/1 (40 ± 3%) when measured after 24 h. The effect of PDGF-BB was significant after 6 h and became more marked after 24 h. GH (1 nmol/l or 0.1 μmol/l or insulin (1 nmol/l had no effect after 24 h, whereas IGF-I (1 nmol/l and insulin (10 μmol/l increased IGF-I mRNA 64 ± 20% and 46±14% respectively. The increase caused by IGF-I was demonstrated after 3 h, and was most marked after 24 h. Using Northern blot analysis of cultured aortic smooth muscle cells, IGF-I transcripts of 7-4, 1.7 and 1.1–0.8 kilobases were observed. Exposure of the cells to 10% serum, 1 nmol basic FGF/1 or 1 nmol PDGF-BB/1 for 48 h increased the cell number by 104 ±7%, 64 ± 3% and 61±22% respectively, while IGF-I, insulin and GH had little effect. In conclusion, IGF-I, and high concentrations of insulin, increased IGF-I mRNA in vascular smooth muscle cells, whereas factors which were stronger mitogens decreased IGF-I gene expression. Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 125, 381–386


2000 ◽  
Vol 279 (4) ◽  
pp. C1155-C1167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiep T. Nguyen ◽  
Rosalyn M. Adam ◽  
Samuel H. Bride ◽  
John M. Park ◽  
Craig A. Peters ◽  
...  

Cyclic mechanical stretch of bladder smooth muscle cells (SMC) increases rates of DNA synthesis and stimulates transcription of the gene for heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF), an ErbB1/EGF receptor ligand that has been linked to hypertrophic bladder growth. In this study we sought to clarify the signaling pathways responsible for mechanotransduction of the stretch stimulus. HB-EGF mRNA levels, DNA synthesis, and AP-1/Ets DNA binding activities were induced by repetitive stretch of primary culture rat bladder SMC. Inhibitors of the p38 SAPK2 pathway, the angiotensin receptor type 1 (AT1), and the ErbB2 tyrosine kinase reduced each of these activities, while an inhibitor of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase (Erk-MAPK) pathway had no effect. Stretch rapidly activated stress-activated protein kinase 2 (p38 SAPK2) and Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK)/SAPK pathways but not the Erk-MAPK pathway and induced ErbB2 but not ErbB1 phosphorylation. Angiotensin II (ANG II) a bladder SMC mitogen previously linked to the stretch response, did not activate ErbB2, and ErbB2 activation occurred in response to stretch in the presence of an ANG receptor inhibitor, indicating that activation of the AT1-mediated pathway and the ErbB2-dependent pathway occurs by independent mechanisms. p38 SAPK2 and JNK/SAPK signaling also appeared to be independent of the ErbB2 and AT1 pathways. These findings indicate that stretch-stimulated DNA synthesis and gene expression in normal bladder SMC occur via multiple independent receptor systems (e.g., AT1 and ErbB2) and at least one MAPK pathway (p38 SAPK2). Further, we show that the Erk-MAPK pathway, which in most systems is linked to receptor-dependent cell growth responses, is not involved in progression to DNA synthesis or in the response of the HB-EGF gene to mechanical forces.


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