Cardiovascular Research Advance Access [Accepted Manuscript] published online on December 17, 2008
Cardiovascular Research, doi:10.1093/cvr/cvn351
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Ets-1 mediates platelet-derived growth factor-bb-induced thrombomodulin expression in human vascular smooth muscle cells
1 Institute of Basic Medical Sciences
2 Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy
3 Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology
4 Cardiovascular Research Center
5 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
6 Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
Author for Correspondence: Dr. Meei Jyh Jiang Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine Tainan 70101, Taiwan E-mail: mjiang{at}mail.ncku.edu.tw Telephone: 886-6-2353535 ext. 5331 Fax: 886-6-2093007
Aims: Thrombomodulin (TM), a potent anticoagulant, is not detected in quiescent vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). In diseased vessels, VSMC express TM but the mechanisms are unclear. This study examined molecular mechanisms for TM expression in VSMC.
Methods and results: Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) induced TM expression in cultured human aortic VSMC. PDGF-induced TM is functional in activating protein C. TM induction was eliminated by inhibitors of Src kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and by expressing dominant-negative Akt while expressing active Akt-stimulated TM expression. PDGF-BB activated the TM promoter, and deletion of a sequence segment –394/–255 drastically reduced TM promoter activity. Transcription factor E26 transformation-specific sequence-1 (Ets-1) was upregulated by PDGF-BB in a PI3-kinase- and mTOR-dependent manner. RNA interference of Ets-1 inhibited PDGF induction of TM, and overexpressing Ets-1 increased TM expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility shift assay detected increased Ets-1 binding to the TM promoter after PDGF treatment. Following carotid artery ligation of C57/BL6 mice, PDGF-BB and TM were coexpressed in the media and neointima.
Conclusion: In VSMC, PDGF-BB stimulates TM expression that is mainly mediated by Ets-1 via the Src kinase/PI3-kinase/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Furthermore, PDGF-BB may regulate TM expression in VSMC during vascular remodeling.
Time for primary review: 25 Days