血管平滑肌细胞增殖与Cdk抑制蛋白p27的表达

ｐ２７蛋白是细胞周期素依赖性激酶（Ｃｄｋ）抑制蛋白家族中的一种,主要对外部促进或抑制细胞增殖的信号起反应。本研究应用流式细胞仪（ＦＣＭ）双标记的方法观察血管紧张素Ⅱ（ＡｎｇⅡ）、血管加压素（ＡＶＰ）和血小板源生长因子（ＰＤＧＦ）对血管平滑肌细胞（ＶＳＭＣｓ）细胞周期百分比和ｐ２７蛋白表达量的影响。静止状态培养的ＶＳＭＣｓ加入ＡｎｇⅡ,ＡＶＰ,ＰＤＧＦＢＢ后,在不同时间收集细胞,用碘化丙啶（ＰＩ）标记细胞ＤＮＡ,以确定细胞所处的周期。用ｐ２７蛋白的单抗和标记了ＦＩＴＣ的二抗标记细胞,通过流式细胞仪测定被激发出的荧光量来确定细胞ｐ２７蛋白表达的相对量。结果显示,ＡｎｇⅡ刺激ＶＳＭＣｓ增生,其蛋白含量增加了４３６％（Ｐ＜００１）,但不抑制ｐ２７蛋白的表达;ＡＶＰ可轻度抑制ｐ２７的表达,有轻度促进ＶＳＭＣｓ增殖和增生的作用（Ｐ＜００５）;ＰＤＧＦ明显抑制ｐ２７的表达,引起细胞增殖。本研究结果提示,ｐ２７蛋白抑制ＶＳＭＣｓ通过Ｇ１期进入Ｓ期,是抑制ＶＳＭＣｓ增殖的重要调节因子。     

Diethylstilbestrol induces arrest of rat vascular smooth muscle cell cycle progression through downregulation of cyclin D1 and cyclin E

Cardiovascular disease is associated with a multitude of pathophysiologic conditions, including vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation in response to vessel injury. Diethylstilbestrol (DES) was previously prescribed for at-risk pregnancies to prevent abortion, miscarriage, and premature labor. Our aim in this study was to elucidate the effects and molecular mechanism of DES on proliferation and cell cycle progression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB-stimulated rat aortic VSMCs. Treating the cells with DES (1-7 μM) dramatically inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner without any cytotoxic effects. In addition, DES blocked cell cycle progression from PDGF-BB-stimulated cells, which we found was related to down-regulation of the cell cycle regulatory factors, cyclin D1, and cyclin E. Our data demonstrate that DES inhibits rat aortic VSMC proliferation and cell cycle progression through regulation of cell cycle-related proteins. Therefore, our observations may explain, in part, the mechanistic basis underlying the therapeutic effects of DES in cardiovascular disease.     

Cks1 mediates vascular smooth muscle cell polyploidization

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) at capacitance arteries of hypertensive individuals and animals undergo dramatic polyploidization that contributes toward their hypertrophic phenotype. We report here the identification of a defective mitotic spindle cell cycle checkpoint in VSMC isolated from capacitance arteries of pre-hypertensive rats. These cells demonstrated a high predisposition to polyploidization in culture and failed to maintain cyclin B protein levels in response to colcemid, a mitotic inhibitor. Furthermore, this altered mitotic spindle checkpoint status was associated with the overexpression of Cks1, a Cdc2 adapter protein that promotes cyclin B degradation. Cks1 up-regulation, cyclin B down-regulation, and VSMC polyploidization were evidenced at the smooth muscle of capacitance arteries of genetically hypertensive and Goldblatt-operated rats. In addition, angiotensin II infusion dramatically increased Cks1 protein levels at capacitance arteries of normotensive rats, and angiotensin II treatment of isolated VSMC abrogated their ability to down-regulate Cks1 and maintain cyclin B protein expression in response to colcemid. Finally, transduction of VSMC from normotensive animals with a retrovirus that drives the expression of Cks1 was sufficient to alter their mitotic spindle cell cycle checkpoint status and promote unscheduled cyclin B metabolism, cell cycle re-entry, and polyploidization. These data demonstrate that Cks1 regulates cyclin B metabolism and ploidy in VSMC and may contribute to the understanding of the phenomena of VSMC polyploidization during hypertension.     

Caveolin-1与血管平滑肌细胞信号转导

微囊蛋白家族是近年来引人关注的细胞膜信号转导调节因子,在多条信号转导过程中起着枢纽作用,其标志性的结构蛋白caveolin对许多关键信号分子的活性状态起着直接的调节作用。微囊蛋白表达异常可诱导动脉粥样硬化、心肌肥厚、肿瘤、糖尿病、膀胱功能异常、肌营养不良等多种疾病的发生。血管平滑肌细胞膜上主要表达微囊蛋白-1(caveolin-1),提示它可能参与平滑肌细胞膜内外的重要信号转导机制。     

Molecular targets for steroids in airway vascular smooth muscle

The actions of norepinephrine (NE) released from airway sympathetic nerves are partially terminated by the extraneuronal catecholamine uptake. Because various steroid hormones inhibit extraneuronal uptake, it could be responsible for the airway vasoconstriction caused by inhaled glucocorticosteroids (GSs) in vivo. Using bronchial arteries obtained from donor lungs rejected for transplantation, we showed that a plasma membrane-associated transporter is responsible for NE uptake by airway vascular smooth muscle. We identified this transporter, namely the extraneuronal monoamine transporter (EMT), by demonstrating its function and mRNA expression. Furthermore, we showed that the rapid, nongenomic inhibitory GS effect on EMT is likely mediated through the activation of specific K+ channels in the plasma membrane. We believe that our studies identified new molecular targets for GSs in modulating noradrenergic control of airway vascular tone.     

Myosin-linked calcium regulation in vascular smooth muscle.

Rat liver microsomal membranes have been shown to contain a biosynthetic pathway of UDP-glucose. In addition, they are able to bind UDP-glucose in a reversible manner, As UDP-glucose is also metabolized in these membranes, the study of the binding has been performed with a microsomal Triton X 100 extract. This reversible binding depends on pH (maximum at pH 8.1) and manganous ions, and disappears at pH 6.5. It exhibits a high affinity (K-diss equals 3 mu M), and a narrow specifity for UDP-glucose. Proteolytic digestion inhibits the binding up to 90%, showing that the UDP-glucose receptor has a proteic nature. These binding characteristics have been also found in the membranes themselves, indicating that the detergent solubilization does not destroy the protein binding capacity.     

Cyclic nucleotide-mediated regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity

Cultured rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) express both cGMP- inhibited cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE-3) and Ro,20-1724-inhibited cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE-4) activities. Utilizing a PDE-3-selective inhibitor (cilostamide) and a PDE-4-selective inhibitor (Ro,20-1724), PDE-3 and PDE-4 activities were shown to account for 15 and 55% of total VSMC cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity. Incubations of VSMC with either forskolin or 8-bromo-cAMP caused a concentration- and time-dependent increase in total cellular cAMP PDE activity. In these cells, both PDE-3 and PDE-4 activities were increased, with a relatively larger effect observed on PDE-3 activity. Similar incubations with an activator of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sodium nitroprusside) or with 8-bromo-cGMP did not increase cAMP PDE activity. cAMP-induced increases in cAMP PDE activity were inhibited with actinomycin D or cycloheximide, demonstrating that new mRNA and protein synthesis were required. We conclude that VSMC cAMP PDE activity is elevated following long-term elevation of cAMP, and that increases in PDE-3 and PDE-4 activities account for more than 70% of this increase. These results may have implications for long-term use of cAMP PDE inhibitors as therapeutic agents.     

Intracellular regulation of heterotrimeric G-protein signaling modulates vascular smooth muscle cell contraction

The contractile function of vascular smooth muscle cells within the media of resistance arterioles is tightly connected to the role of these blood vessels in the maintenance of blood pressure homeostasis. Thus, much effort has been made to understand the intracellular signaling pathways that control vascular smooth muscle cell contractility with the aim that this knowledge will provide important clues for reducing the impact of uncontrolled blood pressure in our society. A key set of surface receptors, the G-protein coupled receptors, has been widely associated with the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell contractility. Indeed, many of the current treatments for hypertension involve selective inhibition of these receptors. More recently, we have begun to understand the cellular mechanisms whereby G-protein coupled pathways are connected to the contractile machinery of the vascular smooth muscle cells. What has emerged is a view where there are multiple intracellular control points for G-protein signaling that coordinate and focus the extracellular stimuli into meaningful physiologic responses. This work will examine some of the recent advances in our understanding of G-protein signaling and its regulation of contractile function in vascular smooth muscle cells.     

Negative regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell migration by blood shear stress

Urocortin (UCN) protects hearts against ischemia and reperfusion injury whether given before ischemia or at reperfusion. Here we investigate the roles of PKC, reactive oxygen species, and the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) in mediating these effects. In Langendorff-perfused rat hearts, acute UCN treatment improved hemodynamic recovery during reperfusion after 30 min of global ischemia; this was accompanied by less necrosis (lactate dehydrogenase release) and MPTP opening (mitochondrial entrapment of 2-[(3)H]deoxyglucose). UCN pretreatment protected mitochondria against calcium-induced MPTP opening, but only if the mitochondria had been isolated from hearts after reperfusion. These mitochondria also exhibited less protein carbonylation, suggesting that UCN decreases levels of oxidative stress. In isolated adult and neonatal rat cardiac myocytes, both acute (60 min) and chronic (16 h) treatment with UCN reduced cell death following simulated ischemia and re-oxygenation. This was accompanied by less MPTP opening as measured using tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester. The level of oxidative stress during reperfusion was reduced in cells that had been pretreated with UCN, suggesting that this is the mechanism by which UCN desensitizes the MPTP to reperfusion injury. Despite the fact that we could find no evidence that either PKC-epsilon or PKC-alpha translocate to the mitochondria following acute UCN treatment, inhibition of PKC with chelerythrine eliminated the effect of UCN on oxidative stress. Our data suggest that acute UCN treatment protects the heart by inhibiting MPTP opening. However, the mechanism appears to be indirect, involving a PKC-mediated reduction in oxidative stress.     

Epac1 is upregulated during neointima formation and promotes vascular smooth muscle cell migration

Vascular remodeling after mechanoinjury largely depends on the migration of smooth muscle cells, an initial key step to wound healing. However, the role of the second messenger system, in particular, the cAMP signal, in regulating such remodeling remains controversial. Exchange protein activated by cAMP (Epac) has been identified as a new target molecule of the cAMP signal, which is independent from PKA. We thus examined whether Epac plays a distinct role from PKA in vascular remodeling. To examine the role of Epac and PKA in migration, we used primary culture smooth muscle cells from both the fetal and adult rat aorta. A cAMP analog selective to PKA, 8-(4-parachlorophenylthio)-cAMP (pCPT-cAMP), decreased cell migration, whereas an Epac-selective analog, 8-pCPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP, enhanced migration. Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of PKA decreased cell migration, whereas that of Epac1 significantly enhanced cell migration. Striking morphological differences were observed between pCPT-cAMP- and 8-pCPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP-treated aortic smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, overexpression of Epac1 enhanced the development of neointimal formation in fetal rat aortic tissues in organ culture. When the mouse femoral artery was injured mechanically in vivo, we found that the expression of Epac1 was upregulated in vascular smooth muscle cells, whereas that of PKA was downregulated with the progress of neointimal thickening. Our findings suggest that Epac1, in opposition to PKA, increases vascular smooth muscle cell migration. Epac may thus play an important role in advancing vascular remodeling and restenosis upon vascular injury.     

Ca2+ regulation of vascular smooth muscle

Regulation of intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations in vascular smooth muscle is accomplished mainly by Ca2+ channels and ATP-dependent Ca2+ pumps in the plasmalemma and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Ca2+ entry through the plasmalemma is apparently mediated by four different pathways: leak; receptor-operated Ca2+ channels; potential sensitive Ca2+ channels; and stretch-activated channels. The agonist releasable intracellular Ca2+ store appears to be identical with the SR. Evidence for the involvement of Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release and inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate in the release of SR Ca2+ is discussed. Smooth muscle contractions induced by certain agonists may be further enhanced by inhibition of Ca2+ uptake by the SR and of active Ca2+ extrusion across the plasmalemma. At the moment it is not clear from a consideration of the Ca2+ regulatory mechanisms present in vascular smooth muscle how dietary Ca2+ affects vascular tone. The increased Ca2+ permeation through smooth muscle cell membranes of resistance arteries taken from spontaneously hypertensive rats may be relevant to this problem.     

EBP50 is involved in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell migration and cytokinesis

Ezrin, Radixin, Moesin binding phosphoprotein 50 (EBP50) is a scaffold protein that possesses two PDZ interacting domains. We have shown that, in isolated artery stimulated with noradrenaline, EBP50 interacts with several elements of the cytoskeleton. However, the contribution of EBP50 to the organization of the cytoskeleton is unknown. We have used primary cultured vascular smooth muscle cells to investigate the involvement of EBP50 in the regulation of cell architecture, motility and cell cycle, and to identify its target proteins and subsequent action mechanism. The results showed that depletion of EBP50 by siRNA transfection induced changes in cell architecture and increased cell migration. The same phenotype was induced by inhibition of myosin IIa and this effect was not additive in cells depleted for EBP50. Moreover, a larger proportion of binucleated cells was observed after EBP50 depletion, indicating a defect in cytokinesis. The identification, after co-immunoprecipitation, of a direct interaction of EBP50 with both tubulin and myosin IIa suggested that EBP50 could regulate cell migration and cytokinesis by linking myosin IIa fibers and microtubule network. Indeed, depletion of EBP50 also dismantled myosin IIa fibers and induced the formation of stable microtubules in lamellae expansions and Rac1 activation. This signaling cascade leads to the formation of lamellipodia, trailing tails and decrease of focal adhesion formation, triggering cell migration.     

血管平滑肌细胞的钙动力学

血管平滑肌细胞外的Ca~(2+)通过多种通道进入细胞内。Ca~(2+)通道的本质是镶嵌在膜脂质双分子层中的糖蛋白,神经介质和药物可影响Ca~(2+)通道的功能。靠近胞膜的肌质网和胞膜内侧面的高亲和性Ca~(2+)结合位点是血管平滑肌细胞内储存和释放Ca~(2+)的主要部位。胞浆[Ca~(2+)]增高后在钙调蛋白的介导下引起血管收缩。高血压等血管性疾病的发生与其平滑肌细胞的钙动力学异常有关。     

Dyslipidemia regulates thrombospondin-1-induced vascular smooth muscle cell chemotaxis

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - Dyslipidemia is a risk factor for intimal hyperplasia (IH). Key to IH is vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a...     

HRT1 modulates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and apoptosis

The Notch signaling pathway plays vital roles in vascular development and homeostasis. However, the functional role of HRT1, a primary downstream effector of Notch signaling in VSMC, is poorly characterized. In the present study, we postulated that HRT1 plays fundamental roles in modulating VSMC fate. To test the hypothesis that HRT1 is coupled to growth regulation, we generated VSMC lines constitutively overexpressing HRT1 (HRT1SMC) and demonstrated an exaggerated growth behavior compared to its control cell line. The lack of cell cycle arrest at confluence in HRT1SMC was associated with an attenuated up-regulation of the cell cycle inhibitor, p21(WAF1/CIP1). We further established that both transient and constitutive HRT1 signaling promoted VSMC survival in response to serum deprivation and pro-apoptotic Fas ligand. Resistance to apoptosis was associated with the induction of Akt expression/activity, a well-described anti-apoptotic mediator. Overall, these findings provide initial evidence that HRT1 functions as a critical determinant of VSMC proliferation and survival.