Circular RNA UVRAG Mediated by Alternative Splicing Factor NOVA1 Regulates Adhesion and Migration of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Liu Z
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7999860 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been recently recognized as playing a role in the pathogenesis of vascular remodeling-related diseases by modulating the functions of miRNAs. However, the interplay between circRNAs and proteins during vascular remodeling remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated a previously identified circRNA, circEsyt2, whose expression is known to be upregulated during vascular remodeling. Loss- and gain-of‑function mutation analyses in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) revealed that circEsyt2 enhanced cell proliferation and migration and inhibited apoptosis and differentiation. Furthermore, the silencing of circEsyt2 in vivo reduced neointima formation, while circEsyt2 overexpression enhanced neointimal hyperplasia in the injured carotid artery, confirming its role in vascular remodeling. Using unbiased protein-RNA screening and molecular validation, circEsyt2 was found to directly interact with polyC-binding protein 1 (PCBP1), an RNA splicing factor, and regulate PCBP1 intracellular localization. Additionally, circEsyt2 silencing substantially enhanced p53β splicing via the PCBP1-U2AF65 interaction, leading to the altered expression of p53 target genes (cyclin D1, p21, PUMA, and NOXA) and the decreased proliferation of VSMCs. Thus, we identified a potentially novel circRNA that regulated vascular remodeling, via altered RNA splicing, in atherosclerotic mouse models.
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Project description:The ezrin-radixin-moesin-binding phosphoprotein 50 (EBP50) is a PDZ-containing scaffolding protein that regulates a variety of physiological functions. In the vasculature, EBP50 promotes neointima formation following arterial injury. In this study the role of EBP50 on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration was characterized. The spreading and motility of primary VSMC isolated from EBP50 knockout (KO) mice were significantly reduced compared to wild-type (WT) cells. EBP50-null VSMC had fewer and larger focal adhesions than wild-type cells. Assembly and disassembly of focal adhesion-assessed by live-cell total internal reflection fluorescence imaging-in response to epidermal growth factor (EGF) were significantly reduced in KO cells. Immunoprecipitation experiments showed that EBP50 interacts with EGF receptor via the PDZ2 domain and with focal adhesion kinase (FAK) via the C-terminal ERM domain. EBP50 promoted the formation of a complex containing both EGF receptor and FAK. Phosphorylation of Tyr-925 of FAK in response to EGF was significantly reduced in KO cell compared to WT cells. The residence time of FAK in focal adhesions-determined by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching-was increased in WT cells. Collectively, these studies indicate that EBP50, by scaffolding EGF receptor and FAK, facilitates activation of FAK, focal adhesion turnover, and migration of VSMC.
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Project description:Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) is an adhesion molecule expressed by endothelial cells for recruitment of leukocytes during inflammation. It is also abundantly expressed by smooth muscle cells in atherosclerotic lesions and in injured arteries. In this study, we examined the role of VCAM-1 in smooth muscle cell migration. Smooth muscle cells were isolated from the aorta of C57BL/6 mice and transfected with short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting VCAM-1. Inhibition on VCAM-1 expression by siRNAs was assessed by Western blot analysis, RT-PCR and by measuring soluble VCAM-1 concentrations in the incubation medium. One siRNA that showed greater suppression on VCAM-1 expression was used for migration assay. A single scratch wound was made on 70% confluent cells and cells migrated from wounded monolayer were counted 24 and 48h after injury. Treatment with VCAM-1 siRNA resulted in a significant reduction in the number of migrated cells. This siRNA also exhibited a minor effect on smooth muscle cell proliferation. Thus, our findings indicate that VCAM-1 is necessary for the migration of smooth muscle cells and interfering VCAM-1 expression could be an effective approach to prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and restenosis.
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Project description:BackgroundA new mechanism for intercellular communication has recently emerged that involves intercellular transfer of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Several studies have indicated that EVs may play a potential role in cell-to-cell communication between macrophage foam cells and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in atherosclerotic lesion.Methods and resultsThis study involved the comparison of circulating EVs from atherosclerotic patients and control participants. The results showed that the circulation of the patients contained more leukocyte-derived EVs and that these EVs promoted more VSMC adhesion and migration than those of healthy participants. We then established a macrophage foam cell model and characterized the EVs from the macrophages. We used flow cytometric analyses and cell migration and adhesion assays and determined that the foam cells generated more EVs than the normal macrophages and that the foam cell-derived EVs were capable of promoting increased levels of VSMC migration and adhesion. Furthermore, we performed a proteomic analysis of the EVs. The data showed that the foam cell-derived EVs may promote VSMC adhesion and migration by regulating the actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesion pathways. In addition, Western blotting revealed that foam cell-derived EVs could promote the phosphorylation of ERK and Akt in VSMCs in a time-dependent manner. We also found that foam cell-derived EVs could enter the VSMCs and transfer integrins to the surface of these cells.ConclusionsThe data in our present study provide the first evidence that EVs from foam cells could promote VSMC migration and adhesion, which may be mediated by the integration of EVs into VSMCs and the subsequent downstream activation of ERK and Akt.
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Project description:To examine whether interference with FRNK targeting to focal adhesions (FAs) affects its inhibitory activity and tyrosine phosphorylation.Focal adhesion kinase and its autonomously expressed C-terminal inhibitor, focal adhesion kinase-related nonkinase (FRNK), regulate vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) signaling and migration. FRNK-paxillin binding was reduced by a point mutation in its FA targeting domain (L341S-FRNK). Green fluorescent protein-tagged wild type and L341S-FRNK were then adenovirally expressed in VSMCs. L341S-FRNK targeted to VSMC FAs, despite previous studies in other cell types. L341S-FRNK affected FA binding kinetics (assessed by total internal reflection fluorescnece [TIRF] microscopy and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching [FRAP]) and reduced its steady-state paxillin interaction (determined by coimmunoprecipitation). Both wt-FRNK and L341S-FRNK lowered basal and angiotensin II-stimulated focal adhesion kinase, paxillin, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation. However, the degree of inhibition was significantly reduced by L341S-FRNK. L341S-FRNK also demonstrated significantly greater migratory activity compared with wt-FRNK-expressing VSMCs. Angiotensin II-induced Y168 phosphorylation was Src dependent, as evident by a significant reduction in Y168 phosphorylation by the Src family kinase inhibitor PP2 is 4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(t-butyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine (PP2). Surprisingly, Y168 phosphorylation was unaffected by its targeting. Furthermore, Y232 phosphorylation increased approximately 3-fold in L341S-FRNK, which was less sensitive to PP2.FRNK inhibition of VSMC migration requires both FA targeting and Y168 phosphorylation by Src family kinases. FRNK-Y232 phosphorylation occurs outside of FAs, probably by a PP2-insensitive kinase.
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Project description:Thrombomodulin (TM), a transmembrane glycoprotein highly expressed in endothelial cells (ECs), is a potent anticoagulant maintaining circulation homeostasis. Under inflammatory states, TM expression is drastically reduced in ECs while vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) show a robust expression of TM. The functional role of TM in VSMCs remains elusive.We examined the role of TM in VSMCs activities in human aortic VSMCs stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). Using rat embryonic aorta-derived A7r5 VSMCs which do not express TM, the role of the chondroitin sulfate (CS) moiety of TM in VSMCs was delineated with cells expressing wild-type TM and the CS-devoid TM mutant.Expression of TM enhanced cell migration and adhesion/spreading onto type I collagen, but had no effect on cell proliferation. Knocking down TM with short hairpin RNA reduced PDGF-stimulated adhesion and migration of human aortic VSMCs. In A7r5 cells, TM-mediated cell adhesion was eradicated by pretreatment with chondroitinase ABC which degrades CS moiety. Furthermore, the TM mutant (TMS490, 492A) devoid of CS moiety failed to increase cell adhesion, spreading or migration. Wild-type TM, but not TMS490, 492A, increased focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation during cell adhesion, and TM-enhanced cell migration was abolished by a function-blocking anti-integrin β1 antibody.Chondroitin sulfate modification is required for TM-mediated activation of β1-integrin and FAK, thereby enhancing adhesion and migration activity of VSMCs.
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Project description:Polymerase-δ-interacting protein 2 (Poldip2) interacts with NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4) and regulates migration; however, the precise underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we investigated the role of Poldip2 in focal adhesion turnover, as well as traction force generation and polarization. Poldip2 overexpression (AdPoldip2) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) impairs PDGF-induced migration and induces a characteristic phenotype of long cytoplasmic extensions. AdPoldip2 also prevents the decrease in spreading and increased aspect ratio observed in response to PDGF and slightly impairs cell contraction. Moreover, AdPoldip2 blocks focal adhesion dissolution and sustains H2O2 levels in focal adhesions, whereas Poldip2 knockdown (siPoldip2) significantly decreases the number of focal adhesions. RhoA activity is unchanged when focal adhesion dissolution is stimulated in control cells but increases in AdPoldip2-treated cells. Inhibition of RhoA blocks Poldip2-mediated attenuation of focal adhesion dissolution, and overexpression of RhoA or focal adhesion kinase (FAK) reverses the loss of focal adhesions induced by siPoldip2, indicating that RhoA and FAK mediate the effect of Poldip2 on focal adhesions. Nox4 silencing prevents focal adhesion stabilization by AdPoldip2 and induces a phenotype similar to siPoldip2, suggesting a role for Nox4 in Poldip2-induced focal adhesion stability. As a consequence of impaired focal adhesion turnover, PDGF-treated AdPoldip2 cells are unable to reduce and polarize traction forces, a necessary first step in migration. These results implicate Poldip2 in VSMC migration via regulation of focal adhesion turnover and traction force generation in a Nox4/RhoA/FAK-dependent manner.
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