Cell Cycle Protein Expression in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells In Vitro and In Vivo Is Regulated Through Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase and Mammalian Target of Rapamycin

The objective of the present study was to 1) analyze the ascending aortic proteome within a mouse model of Marfan syndrome (MFS; Fbn1C1041G/+) at early and late stages of aneurysm and 2) subsequently test a novel hypothesis formulated on the basis of this unbiased proteomic screen that links changes in integrin composition to transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-dependent activation of the rapamycin-independent component of mammalian target of rapamycin (Rictor) signaling pathway. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of over 1,000 proteins quantified from the in vivo MFS mouse aorta by data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry revealed a predicted upstream regulator, Rictor, that was selectively activated in aged MFS mice. We validated this pattern of Rictor activation in vivo by Western blot analysis for phosphorylation on Thr1135 in a separate cohort of mice and showed in vitro that TGF-β activates Rictor in an integrin-linked kinase-dependent manner in cultured aortic vascular smooth muscle cells. Expression of β3-integrin was upregulated in the aged MFS aorta relative to young MFS mice and wild-type mice. We showed that β3-integrin expression and activation modulated TGF-β-induced Rictor phosphorylation in vitro, and this signaling effect was associated with an altered vascular smooth muscle cell proliferative-migratory and metabolic in vitro phenotype that parallels the in vivo aneurysm phenotype in MFS. These results reveal that Rictor is a novel, context-dependent, noncanonical TGF-β signaling effector with potential pathogenic implications in aortic aneurysm. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We present the most comprehensive quantitative analysis of the ascending aortic aneurysm proteome in Marfan syndrome to date resulting in novel and potentially wide-reaching findings that expression and signaling by β3-integrin constitute a modulator of transforming growth factor-β-induced rapamycin-independent component of mammalian target of rapamycin (Rictor) signaling and physiology in aortic vascular smooth muscle cells.

Download Full-text

Eplerenone inhibits aldosterone-induced CRP generation in rat vascular smooth muscle cells by regulating the MR-ROS-ERK1/2 signal pathway

European Journal of Inflammation ◽

10.1177/1721727x17735261 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 210-218 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Xiaolu Zhang ◽

Juntian Liu ◽

Xiaoming Pang ◽

Jingjing Zhao ◽

Shouzhu Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Vascular Smooth Muscle ◽

Protein Expression ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Muscle Cells ◽

Signal Pathway ◽

Mrna And Protein Expression

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease in the vessel wall. As a representative inflammatory cytokine, C-reactive protein (CRP) participates in the formation and development of atherosclerosis. It is demonstrated that aldosterone induces CRP generation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). This study explored the inhibitory effect of eplerenone on aldosterone-induced CRP expression in VSMCs and mechanism. In the in vitro experiments, rat VSMCs were cultured and aldosterone (10 nM) was used as a stimulant for CRP generation. VSMCs were pretreated with eplerenone for 1 h prior to the stimulation. Messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression were identified by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot, respectively. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed by a fluorescence microscope. In the in vivo experiment, a model of hyperaldosteronism was established by the subcutaneous administration of aldosterone to rats with the osmotic minipumps for 4 weeks. Serum aldosterone and CRP levels were determined with a radioimmunoassay and ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), respectively. The results showed that eplerenone inhibited aldosterone-induced mRNA and protein expression of CRP in VSMCs in vitro and in vivo, and decreased the circulating CRP level of hyperaldosteronism rats. Meanwhile, eplerenone reduced aldosterone-stimulated ROS generation and aldosterone-activated ERK1/2 phosphorylation in VSMCs. In summary, eplerenone inhibits aldosterone-induced CRP generation in VSMCs by regulating the MR-ROS-ERK1/2 signal pathway. These results provide new evidence for the potential anti-inflammatory effect of eplerenone.

Download Full-text

Faculty Opinions recommendation of MicroRNA control of podosome formation in vascular smooth muscle cells in vivo and in vitro.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.3171956.2871056 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Irina Kaverina ◽

Paul Miller

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Vascular Smooth Muscle ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Muscle Cells

Download Full-text

Induction of cyclooxygenase-2 in rat vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro and in vivo.

Journal of Biological Chemistry ◽

10.1016/s0021-9258(17)37223-x ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 269 (11) ◽

pp. 8504-8509

Author(s):

K.A. Pritchard ◽

M.K. O'Banion ◽

J.M. Miano ◽

N. Vlasic ◽

U.G. Bhatia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Vascular Smooth Muscle ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Muscle Cells ◽

Cyclooxygenase 2

Download Full-text

Angiotensin II modulates frizzled-2 receptor expression in rat vascular smooth muscle cells

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs20040347 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 108 (6) ◽

pp. 523-530 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Giovanna CASTOLDI ◽

Serena REDAELLI ◽

Willy M. M. van de GREEF ◽

Cira R. T. di GIOIA ◽

Giuseppe BUSCA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Angiotensin Ii ◽

Vascular Smooth Muscle ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Muscle Cells ◽

Ang Ii ◽

Aortic Smooth Muscle

Ang II (angiotensin II) has multiple effects on vascular smooth muscle cells through the modulation of different classes of genes. Using the mRNA differential-display method to investigate gene expression in rat aortic smooth muscle cells in culture in response to 3 h of Ang II stimulation, we observed that Ang II down-regulated the expression of a member of the family of transmembrane receptors for Wnt proteins that was identified as Fzd2 [Fzd (frizzled)-2 receptor]. Fzds are a class of highly conserved genes playing a fundamental role in the developmental processes. In vitro, time course experiments demonstrated that Ang II induced a significant increase (P<0.05) in Fzd2 expression after 30 min, whereas it caused a significant decrease (P<0.05) in Fzd2 expression at 3 h. A similar rapid up-regulation after Ang II stimulation for 30 min was evident for TGFβ1 (transforming growth factor β1; P<0.05). To investigate whether Ang II also modulated Fzd2 expression in vivo, exogenous Ang II was administered to Sprague–Dawley rats (200 ng·kg−1 of body weight·min−1; subcutaneously) for 1 and 4 weeks. Control rats received normal saline. After treatment, systolic blood pressure was significantly higher (P<0.01), whereas plasma renin activity was suppressed (P<0.01) in Ang II- compared with the saline-treated rats. Ang II administration for 1 week did not modify Fzd2 expression in aorta of Ang II-treated rats, whereas Ang II administration for 4 weeks increased Fzd2 mRNA expression (P<0.05) in the tunica media of the aorta, resulting in a positive immunostaining for fibronectin at this time point. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that Ang II modulates Fzd2 expression in aortic smooth muscle cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Download Full-text

SIRT1 and FOXO Mediate Contractile Differentiation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells under Cyclic Stretch

Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1159/000438544 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 37 (5) ◽

pp. 1817-1829 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Kai Huang ◽

Zhi-Qiang Yan ◽

Dan Zhao ◽

Si-Guo Chen ◽

Li-Zhi Gao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Vascular Smooth Muscle ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Muscle Cells ◽

Mechanical Stretch ◽

Cyclic Stretch ◽

Underlying Mechanisms

Background/Aims: Physiological mechanical stretch in vivo helps to maintain the quiescent contractile differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of SIRT1 in VSMC differentiation in response to mechanical cyclic stretch. Methods and Results: Rat VSMCs were subjected to 10%-1.25Hz-cyclic stretch in vitro using a FX-4000T system. The data indicated that the expression of contractile markers, including α-actin, calponin and SM22α, was significantly enhanced in VSMCs that were subjected to cyclic stretch compared to the static controls. The expression of SIRT1 and FOXO3a was increased by the stretch, but the expression of FOXO4 was decreased. Decreasing SIRT1 by siRNA transfection attenuated the stretch-induced expression of contractile VSMC markers and FOXO3a. Furthermore, increasing SIRT1 by either treatment with activator resveratrol or transfection with a plasmid to induce overexpression increased the expression of FOXO3a and contractile markers, and decreased the expression of FOXO4 in VSMCs. Similar trends were observed in VSMCs of SIRT1 (+/-) knockout mice. The overexpression of FOXO3a promoted the expression of contractile markers in VSMCs, while the overexpression of FOXO4 demonstrated the opposite effect. Conclusion: Our results indicated that physiological cyclic stretch promotes the contractile differentiation of VSMCs via the SIRT1/FOXO pathways and thus contributes to maintaining vascular homeostasis.

Download Full-text