Angiotensin II Receptor Type 1 Antagonists Modulate Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Migration via AMPK/mTOR

Cardiology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 143 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingshuai Zhao ◽  
Fenqing Shang ◽  
Weili Shi ◽  
Jiao Zhang ◽  
Junjian Zhang ◽  
...  

The aberrant proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the vascular wall are crucial pathological events involved in cardiovascular impairments including hypertension, heart failure, and atherosclerosis. At the molecular level, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-ribosomal protein S6 kinase beta-1 (p70S6K) signaling pathway is essential to potentiate VSMC proliferation and migration. Although angiotensin II receptor type 1 ­(AT1-R) antagonists such as valsartan and telmisartan have a significant cardiovascular protective effect, the molecular basis of this class of drugs in VSMC proliferation and migration remains elusive. By using cultured VSMCs, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) α2 knockout mice, and hypertensive rat models, this study investigated whether AT1-R antagonists can inhibit the mTOR-p70S6K signaling pathway in VSMCs and the vascular wall. Valsartan activated AMPK, which in turn suppressed reactive oxygen species production and consequently attenuated VSMC proliferation and migration. In vivo, a clinical dose of telmisartan significantly inhibited the mTOR-p70S6K signaling pathway in the vascular wall of wild-type but not AMPKα2–/– mice. Furthermore, spontaneously hypertensive rats had significantly elevated phosphorylation of mTOR and p70S6K in the aorta compared to Wistar-Kyoto rats, which were reduced by telmisartan administration. These data suggest that AT1-R antagonists inhibit VSMC proliferation and migration via their regulation of AMPK, mTOR, and p70S6K, which contribute to the cardioprotective effects of these drugs.

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuming Li ◽  
Haitao Li ◽  
Xinfang Wang ◽  
Junya Wang ◽  
Zhongqiu Li

The current study was designed to explore the mechanisms of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration induced by adenosine diphosphate ribosyl cyclase(ADPRC). In this study, 32 Male ApoE-/- mice(6 weeks old, 18-22g)on a C57BL/6J background were divided into four groups, which received normal chow (n=8, NC group), high-fat Western-type diet (n=8, 0.25% cholesterol, 21% fat,HFD group), high-fat Western-type diet,infusion of 2,2′-dihydroxyazobenzene(DHAB, a ADPRC inhibitor, 2mg/kg/day, n=8, HFD-DHAB group) intraperitoneally or high-fat Western-type diet,infusion of LY294002(a Inhibitor of Akt, 5mg/kg/d, n=8, HFD-LY group) intraperitoneally, for 10 weeks. 8 male C57BL/6J mice served as control. After 10 weeks, mice were anesthetized with chloral hydrate, aorta was removed and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen. Aortic atherosclerotic lesions, VSMC proliferation and migration were assessed by histomorphological observation, smooth muscle actin-α(α-SMA)and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) examination. ADPRC expression and alterations of Akt, FOXO3a, phospho-FOXO3a and MMP-9 were determined by RT-PCR, Western Blot, Immunohistochemistry or Immunofluorescence. The results showed that, in aortic atherosclerotic lesions derived from atherosclerotic mice of HFD group, an increased VSMC proliferation and migration, reflected by the up-regulation of α-SMA and PCNA expression, were observed followed by increased expression of ADPRC, Akt, FOXO3a, phospho-FOXO3a and MMP-9. The enhanced expression of ADPRC and followed alterations of FOXO3a, phospho-FOXO3a, MMP-9 as well as α-SMA, PCNA, VSMC proliferation and migration were absent in NC group and C57BL/6J control mice. Treatment with DHAB or LY294002 reversed VSMC proliferation, migration and expression of Akt, FOXO3a, phospho-FOXO3a and MMP-9 in HFD-DHAB and HFD-LY group. These data shows that high-fat Western-type diet induced ADPRC may via PI3K-Akt to phosphorylate FOXO3a up-regulating MMP-9 to enhance vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration in mice.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-257
Author(s):  
Qiang Xue ◽  
Xiaoli Wang ◽  
Xiaohui Deng ◽  
Yue Huang ◽  
Wei Tian

In this study we investigated the regulatory role of cell-migration-inducing and hyaluronan-binding protein (CEMIP) in the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The mRNA and protein levels of CEMIP were upregulated in the plasma samples from patients with atherosclerosis, and in VSMCs stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), compared with plasma from healthy subjects and untreated VSMCs. Silencing CEMIP suppressed PDGF-BB-induced cell migration and proliferation in VSMCs, as determined using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assays, 5-ethynyl-2′-deocyuridine (EDU) assays, flow cytometry, wound healing assays, and Transwell assays. Overexpression of CEMIP promoted the proliferation and migration of VSMCs via activation of the Wnt–β-catenin signaling pathway and the upregulation of its target genes, including matrix metalloproteinase-2, matrix metalloproteinase-7, cyclin D1, and c-myc, whereas CEMIP deficiency showed the opposite effects. The knockdown of CEMIP in ApoE−/− mice by intravenous injection of lentiviral vector expressing si-CEMIP protected against high-fat-diet-induced atherosclerosis, as shown by the reduced aortic lesion areas, aortic sinus lesion areas, and the concentration of blood lipids compared with mice normally expressing CEMIP. These results demonstrated that CEMIP regulates the proliferation and migration of VSMCs in atherosclerosis by activating the WNT–β-catenin signaling pathway, which suggests the therapeutic potential of CEMIP for the management of atherosclerosis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Bing Wu ◽  
Zhi-Wei Wang ◽  
Feng Shi ◽  
Zong-Li Ren ◽  
Luo-Cheng Li ◽  
...  

Objectives. To observe the effect of avβ3 single-stranded (ss) DNA on proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and its potential mechanism. Background. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is currently the preferred method for the treatment of coronary heart disease. However, vascular restenosis still occurs after PTCA treatment, severely affecting the clinical efficacy of PTCA. Integrin avβ3, which is widely expressed on various cell surfaces, plays an important role in the proliferation and migration of VSMCs. Methods. In this experiment, we used systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) to screen out avβ3 ssDNA, which has high affinity and specificity to the avβ3 protein. MTT, Transwell, and cell scratch assays were carried out to examine the effect of avβ3 ssDNA on the proliferation and migration of VSMCs. Flow cytometry was performed to detect apoptosis and cell cycle progression. The effect of avβ3 ssDNA on the Ras-phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase (PI3K/MAPK) signaling pathway was evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot. Results. In the present study, we found that avβ3 ssDNA significantly decreased the expression of osteopontin, focal adhesion kinase, Ras, p-PI3K, and p-MAPK at both mRNA and protein levels (P<0.05). Avβ3 ssDNA also inhibited VSMC proliferation and migration while promoting apoptosis (P<0.05), as demonstrated by the upregulation of the proapoptotic proteins Bax and active caspase 3 (P<0.05). Conclusions. The findings suggest that avβ3 ssDNA inhibited the proliferation and migration of VSMCs by suppressing the activation of Ras-PI3K/MAPK signaling.


Author(s):  
Mei Li ◽  
Hongmei Zhu ◽  
Xiaoyan Hu ◽  
Fuhua Gao ◽  
Xinxin Hu ◽  
...  

Transmembrane protein 98 (TMEM98) is a novel gene. In a prior study, we have shown that siRNA-mediated knockdown of TMEM98 inhibited interleukin (IL)-8-promoted endothelial cell (EC) adhesion as well as vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration in the vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells dysfunction. Herein, we used gain- and loss-of-function approaches combined with biochemical techniques to further explore the role of TMEM98 in the vascular wall cell. The expression and secretion of TMEM98 was increased in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and VSMCs treated with IL-8 and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. Also, PDGF-BB secretion was increased in TMEM98-treated HUVECs and VSMCs. Thus, it appears that TMEM98 and PDGF-BB form a positive feedback loop in potentiation of EC adhesion as well as VSMC proliferation and migration. Knockdown of TMEM98 mediated by siRNA inhibited PDGF-BB-promoted EC adhesion by downregulating the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 as well as impaired the proliferation and migration of VSMCs through suppressing the AKT/GSK3β/cyclin D1 signaling pathway and reducing the expression of β-catenin. Hence, TMEM98 promoted EC adhesion through inducing the expression of ICAM-1/VCAM-1 and triggered VSMC proliferation and migration through activating the ERK and AKT/GSK3β signaling pathways. Taken together, TMEM98 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the clinical treatment.


2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pan Li ◽  
Bing Yi ◽  
Qing Qin ◽  
Ming Chen ◽  
Xiaohua You ◽  
...  

Background Abnormal phenotypic switch of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) is a hallmark of vascular disorders such as atherosclerosis and restenosis after angioplasty. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) emerge as critical regulators for vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) function. Our initial study identified miR-663 as one of the most sharply downregulated miRNAs in human proliferative aortic smooth muscle cells. Hypothesis MiR-663 is implicated in human VSMC phenotypic switch and the development of neointima formation. Methods and Results By using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), we found that microRNA-663 (miR-663) was significantly downregulated in cultured human aortic VSMCs upon platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) treatment, whereas its expression was markedly increased during VSMC differentiation as induced by either retinoid acid or SMC differentiation medium, a condition which induces SMC differentiation and inhibits cell proliferation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that overexpression of miR-663 significantly increased the expression of VSMC differentiation marker genes, such as SM22α, SM α-action, calponin, and SM myosin heavy chain, suggesting that miR-663 is a novel modulator implicated in human VSMC phenotypic switch. Moreover, miR-663 potently inhibited PDGF induced VSMC proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, we identified JunB as a downstream target of miR-663 in human VSMCs. Indeed, overexpression of miR-663 markedly inhibited the expression of the transcription factor JunB as well as its downstream molecules including matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9) and myosin light chain-9 (Myl9), thus inhibiting VSMC proliferation and migration. Finally, we showed that adeno-miR-663 markedly suppressed the neointimal lesion formation by approximately 50% in mice after vascular injury induced by carotid artery ligation, specifically via decreased JunB expression. Conclusion These results indicate that miR-663 is a novel modulator implicated in human VSMC phenotypic switch through targeting JunB expression and suggest that specific modulation of miR-663 in human VSMCs may represent a novel and attractive approach for the treatment of vascular proliferative diseases.


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