Cytosolic p21Waf1/Cip1 increases cell cycle transit in vascular smooth muscle cells

The intracellular localization of signaling proteins is critical in directing their interactions with both upstream and downstream signaling cascade components. While initially described as a cyclin kinase inhibitor, p21Waf1/Cip1 has since been shown to have bimodal effects on cell cycle progression and cell proliferation, and evidence is emerging that intracellular localization of this protein plays a role in directing its signaling properties by dictating its interactions with downstream molecules. Since we have previously demonstrated a pro-apoptotic and cell cycle inhibitory effect of p21 attenuation after transfection of antisense p21 oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) in several cell lines, we asked whether cytosolic p21 mediates a positive effect on vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cell cycle transit. We now show that transfection of a nuclear-localization signal deficient (DeltaNLS) p21 construct into VSM cells results in increased cytosolic levels of p21 and causes increased cell cycle transit as measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation. Thus, at least in VSM cells, cytosolic localization of p21 is a means by which this signaling protein transmits pro-mitogenic signals to the proteins responsible for G1/S transition. Furthermore, compartmentalization of p21 may help explain the biphasic nature of p21 in a variety of cell types and may lead to therapeutic advances directed at modulating pathologic cell growth in vascular diseases and cancer.     

miR-15b induced by platelet-derived growth factor signaling is required for vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation

The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling pathway is essential for inducing a dedifferentiated state of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Activation of PDGF inhibits smooth muscle cell (SMC)-specific gene expression and increases the rate of proliferation and migration, leading to dedifferentiation of VSMCs. Recently, microRNAs have been shown to play a critical role in the modulation of the VSMC phenotype in response to extracellular signals. However, little is known about microRNAs regulated by PDGF in VSMCs. Herein, we identify microRNA-15b (miR-15b) as a mediator of VSMC phenotype regulation upon PDGF signaling. We demonstrate that miR-15b is induced by PDGF in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells and is critical for PDGF-mediated repression of SMC-specific genes. In addition, we show that miR-15b promotes cell proliferation. These results indicate that PDGF signaling regulates SMC-specific gene expression and cell proliferation by modulating the expression of miR-15b to induce a dedifferentiated state in the VSMCs. [BMB Reports 2013; 46(11): 550-554]     

BMP-2 inhibits proliferation of human aortic smooth muscle cells via p21Cip1/Waf1

Bone-morphogenetic proteins (BMP)-2 and -7, multifunctional members of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta superfamily with powerful osteoinductive effects, cause cell cycle arrest in a variety of transformed cell lines by activating signaling cascades that involve several cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs). CDKIs in the cip/kip family, p21(Cip1/Waf1) and p27(Kip1), have been shown to negatively regulate the G1 cyclins and their partner cyclin-dependent kinase proteins, resulting in BMP-mediated growth arrest. Bone morphogens have also been associated with antiproliferative effects in vascular tissue by unknown mechanisms. We now show that BMP-2-mediated inhibition of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-stimulated human aortic smooth muscle cell (HASMC) proliferation is accompanied by increased levels of p21 protein. Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides specific for p21 attenuate BMP-2-induced inhibition of proliferation when transfected into HASMCs, demonstrating that BMP-2 inhibits PDGF-stimulated proliferation of HASMCs through induction of p21. Whether p21-mediated induction of cell cycle arrest by BMP-2 sets the stage for osteogenic differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells, ultimately leading to vascular mineralization, remains to be investigated.     

Endogenous thrombospondin-1 is not necessary for proliferation but is permissive for vascular smooth muscle cell responses to platelet-derived growth factor.

We have reexamined the role of endogenous thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) in growth and motility of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Based on the ability of aortic-derived SMCs isolated from TSP1 null mice and grown in the absence of exogenous TSP1 to grow at comparable rates and to a slightly higher density than equivalent cells from wild-type mice, TSP1 is not necessary for their growth. Low concentrations of exogenous TSP1 stimulate growth of TSP1 null SMCs, but higher doses of TSP1 or its C-terminal domain are inhibitory. However, SMCs from TSP1 null mice are selectively deficient in chemotactic and proliferative responses to platelet-derived growth factor and in outgrowth in three-dimensional cultures. Recombinant portions of the N- and C-terminal domains of TSP1 stimulate SMC chemotaxis through different integrin receptors. Based on these data, the relative deficiency in SMC outgrowth during an ex vivo angiogenic response of muscle tissue from TSP1 null mice is probably due to restriction of platelet-derived growth factor dependent SMC migration and/or proliferation.     

Zinc salicylate reduces airway smooth muscle cells remodelling by blocking mTOR and activating p21(Waf1/Cip1)

Asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation and tissue remodeling of the airways. Remodeling is resistant to pharmaceutical therapies. This study investigated the effect of zinc salicylate-methylsulfonylmethane (Zn-Sal-MSM) compared to zinc salicylate (Zn-Sal), or sodium salicylate (Na-Sal), or zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) on remodeling parameters of human airway smooth muscle cells (ASMC). Human ASMC obtained from asthma patients (n=7) and non-asthma controls (n=7) were treated with one of the reagents. Cell proliferation and viability was determined by direct cell counts and MTT assay. The expression of and phosphorylation proteins was determined by Western-blotting, ELISA, immunofluorescence, and mass spectrometry. Extracellular matrix deposition by ELISA. Zn-Sal-MSM, Zn-Sal and Na-Sal (0.1–100 µg/mL) significantly reduced PDGF-BB-induced proliferation in a concentration dependent manner, while ZnCl₂ was toxic. The reduced proliferation correlated with increased expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p21^(Waf1/Cip1), and reduced activity of Akt, p70S6K, and Erk1/2. Zn-Sal-MSM, Zn-Sal, but not Na-Sal reduced the deposition of fibronectin and collagen type-I. Furthermore, Zn-Sal-MSM reduced the mitochondria specific COX4 expression. Mass spectrometry indicated that Zn-Sal-MSM modified the expression of several signaling proteins and zinc-dependent enzymes. In conclusion, Zn-Sal-MSM and Zn-Sal potentially prevent airway wall remodeling in asthma by inhibition of both the Erk1/2 and mTOR signaling pathways.     

1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol enhances butyrate-induced p21(Waf1/Cip1) expression

Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid produced in the colon, as well as its prodrug tributyrin, reduce proliferation and increase differentiation of colon cancer cells. p21(Waf1/Cip1) and p27(Kip1) are negative regulators of cell cycle and are thought to have a key function in the differentiation of various cell lines. We studied the effects of butyrate on differentiation, VDR expression, as well as on p21(Waf1/Cip1) and p27(Kip1) expression in human colon cancer cells (Caco-2). Butyrate induced cell differentiation, which was further enhanced after addition of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol. Synergistic effect of butyrate and dihydroxycholecalciferol in Caco-2 cells was due to butyrate-induced overexpression of VDR. While butyrate as well as dihydroxycholecalciferol increased p21(Waf1/Cip1) and p27(Kip1) expression, in contrast combined exposure of butyrate and dihydroxycholecalciferol resulted in a synergistic amplification of p21(Waf1/Cip1), but not of p27(Kip1) expression. These data imply that butyrate selectively increases p21(Waf1/Cip1) expression via upregulation of VDR in Caco-2 cells.     

5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine activates the p53/p21Waf1/Cip1 pathway to inhibit cell proliferation

In addition to its demethylating function, 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-CdR) also plays an important role in inducing cell cycle arrest, differentiation, and cell death. However, the mechanism by which 5-aza-CdR induces antineoplastic activity is not clear. In this study, we found that 5-aza-CdR at limited concentrations (0.01-5 microm) induces inhibition of cell proliferation as well as increased p53/p21(Waf1/Cip1) expression in A549 cells (wild-type p53) but not in H1299 (p53-null) and H719 cells (p53 mutant). The p53-dependent p21(Waf1/Cip1) expression induced by 5-aza-CdR was not seen in A549 cells transfected with the wild-type human papilloma virus type-16 E6 gene that induces p53 degradation. Furthermore, deletion analysis and site-directed mutagenesis of the p21 promoter reveals that 5-aza-CdR induces p21(Waf1/Cip1) expression through two p53 binding sites in the p21 promoter. Finally, 5-aza-CdR-induced p21(Waf1/Cip1) expression was dependent on DNA damage but not on DNA demethylation as demonstrated by comet assay and bisulfite sequencing, respectively. Our data provide useful clues for judging the therapeutic efficacy of 5-aza-CdR in the treatment of human cancer cells.     

Uric acid stimulates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation by increasing platelet-derived growth factor A-chain expression

Recent data suggest that uric acid is generated locally in the vessel wall by the action of xanthine oxidase. This enzyme, activated during ischemia/reperfusion by proteolytic conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase, catalyzes the oxidation of xanthine, thereby generating free radicals and uric acid. Because of the potential role of ischemia/reperfusion in vascular disease, we studied the effects of uric acid on rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth. Uric acid stimulated VSMC DNA synthesis, as measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation, in a concentration-dependent manner with half-maximal activity at 150 microM. Maximal induction of DNA synthesis by uric acid (250 microM) was approximately 70% of 10% calf serum and equal to 10 ng/ml platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) AB or 20 ng/ml fibroblast growth factor. Neither uric acid precursors (xanthine and hypoxanthine) nor antioxidants (ascorbic acid, glutathione, and alpha-tocopherol) were mitogenic for VSMC. Uric acid was mitogenic for VSMC but not for fibroblasts or renal epithelial cells. The time course for uric acid stimulation of VSMC growth was slower than serum, suggesting induction of an autocrine growth mechanism. Exposure of quiescent VSMC to uric acid stimulated accumulation of PDGF A-chain mRNA (greater than 5-fold at 8 h) and secretion of PDGF-like material in conditioned medium (greater than 10-fold at 24 h). Uric acid-induced [3H]thymidine incorporation was markedly inhibited by incubation with anti-PDGF A-chain polyclonal antibodies. Thus uric acid stimulates VSMC growth via an autocrine mechanism involving PDGF A-chain. These findings suggest that generation of uric acid during ischemia/reperfusion contributes to atherogenesis and intimal proliferation following arterial injury.     

p21Waf1/Cip1 Deficiency Stimulates Centriole Overduplication

Inactivation of the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p21Waf1/Cip1 (CDKN1; hereafter p21) has previously been implicated in the induction of numerical centrosome alterations. It is unclear, however, whether p21 deficiency deregulates the centrosome duplication cycle itself or causes an accumulation of centrosomes due to cell division failure and/or polyploidization. Using a novel marker for maternal centrioles, Cep170, we show here that knock-down of p21 protein expression in murine myeloblasts can stimulate excessive centriole numbers in the presence of only one or two mature centrioles. These results indicate that p21 deficiency can trigger a bona fide overduplication of centrioles and that aberrant centrosome numbers cannot solely be explained by polyploidization as suggested by previous studies. Our findings underscore that impaired p21 expression may function as a driving force for chromosomal instability and highlight the importance of markers for maternal centrioles such as Cep170 to elucidate the pathogenesis of numerical centriole aberrations in tumor cells.     

PYK2 signaling is required for PDGF-dependent vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation

Aberrant vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth is associated with many vascular diseases including atherosclerosis, hypertension, and restenosis. Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF) induces VSMC proliferation through control of cell cycle progression and protein and DNA synthesis. Multiple signaling cascades control VSMC growth, including members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family as well as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and its downstream effector AKT/protein kinase B (PKB). Little is known about how these signals are integrated by mitogens and whether there are common receptor-proximal signaling control points that synchronize the execution of physiological growth functions. The nonreceptor proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2) is activated by a variety of growth factors and G protein receptor agonists in VSMC and lies upstream of both PI3K and MAPK cascades. The present study investigated the role of PYK2 in PDGF signaling in cultured rat aortic VSMC. PYK2 downregulation attenuated PDGF-dependent protein and DNA synthesis, which correlated with inhibition of AKT and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) but not p38 MAPK activation. Inhibition of PDGF-dependent protein kinase B (AKT) and ERK1/2 signaling by inhibitors of upstream kinases PI3K and MEK, respectively, as well as downregulation of PYK2 resulted in modulation of the G(1)/S phase of the cell cycle through inhibition of retinoblastoma protein (Rb) phosphorylation and cyclin D(1) expression, as well as p27(Kip) upregulation. Cell division kinase 2 (cdc2) phosphorylation at G(2)/M was also contingent on PDGF-dependent PI3K-AKT and ERK1/2 signaling. These data suggest that PYK2 is an important upstream mediator in PDGF-dependent signaling cascades that regulate VSMC proliferation.     

Involvement of p21(Waf1/Cip1) in protein kinase C alpha-induced cell cycle progression

Protein kinase C (PKC) plays an important role in the regulation of glioma growth; however, the identity of the specific isoform and mechanism by which PKC fulfills this function remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that PKC activation in glioma cells increased their progression through the cell cycle. Of the six PKC isoforms that were present in glioma cells, PKC alpha was both necessary and sufficient to promote cell cycle progression when stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Also, decreased PKC alpha expression resulted in a marked decrease in cell proliferation. The only cell cycle-regulatory molecule whose expression was rapidly altered and increased by PKC alpha activity was the cyclin-cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p21(Waf1/Cip1). Coimmunoprecipitation studies revealed that p21(Waf1/Cip1) upregulation was accompanied by an incorporation of p21(Waf1/Cip1) into various cyclin-CDK complexes and that the kinase activity of these complexes was increased, thus resulting in cell cycle progression. Furthermore, depletion of p21(Waf1/Cip1) by antisense strategy attenuated the PKC-induced cell cycle progression. These results suggest that PKC alpha activity controls glioma cell cycle progression through the upregulation of p21(Waf1/Cip1), which facilitates active cyclin-CDK complex formation.     

Upregulation of p21(WAF1/Cip1) precedes tumor necrosis factor-induced necrosis-like cell death

The molecular mechanisms mediating death receptor-induced caspase-independent necrotic cell death are still largely unknown. We have previously reported that NIH3T3 cells are sensitized by caspase inhibition to death receptor-induced cytotoxicity leading to a necrosis-like cell death. In addition, we have identified an important role of cell cycle progression for this sensitization effect. Here, we report that tumor necrosis factor-induced necrotic death is preceded by an upregulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(WAF1/Cip1). Increased expression of p21(WAF1/Cip1) occurs prior to cell death in the nucleus, where it binds to a cyclin-dependent kinase indicating its functionality. The use of specific pharmacological inhibitors revealed a partial involvement of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in the upregulation of p21(WAF1/Cip1). Inhibition of p21(WAF1/Cip1) upregulation prevents a previously observed delay of the cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle thereby augmenting, not inhibiting cell death.     

Atrial natriuretic factor inhibits proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor

The effect of atrial natriuretic factor (Isoleucine-ANF 101-126) on basal and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-stimulated proliferation of rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) was assessed by microscopy and measurement of incorporation of tritiated thymidine by cells cultured with or without addition of PDGF in the presence of various concentrations (10(-8)-10(-6) molar) of ANF. ANF had little effect on proliferation of cells grown in media supplemented with 2% fetal calf serum (FCS) alone but exhibited clear dose-related inhibition of PDGF-stimulated thymidine incorporation.     

Regulation of sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPases during platelet-derived growth factor-induced smooth muscle cell proliferation.

The role of the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPases (SERCA) in the regulation of cell proliferation by Ca2+ was investigated by testing the effect of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) on cultured pig aorta smooth muscle cells. For this purpose, the PDGF-mediated rise in the Ca2+ concentration was first examined for its ability to induce the formation of prostaglandins from the specific membrane enzyme, cyclooxygenase. In parallel experiments, similar conditions (10 ng/ml PDGF for 24 h) were used to investigate the smooth muscle cell membrane SERCA2 isoforms. Total SERCA2 activity rose by 472% as reflected by their specific formation of phosphorylated intermediate (E approximately P). This rise correlated with an increase in the amount of SERCA2 proteins (100 kDa) as shown by Western blotting. With isoform-specific anti-SERCA2-a and anti-SERCA2-b antibodies, we demonstrated that the increase in total SERCA2 proteins concerned the minor isoform SERCA2-a, which rose 10-fold, whereas SERCA2-b proteins were not affected. Lastly, Northern blotting using riboprobes showed that PDGF treatment increased the SERCA2-a mRNA species by 82%, and concomitantly decreased the SERCA2-b mRNA by 28%, as a result of isoform switching. We conclude that up-regulation of the SERCA2-type Ca(2+)-ATPases occurs in PDGF-treated smooth muscle cells, which suggests that this enzymatic system plays an essential part in cell proliferation.