PDGF-BB and TGF-β1 on cross-talk between endothelial and smooth muscle cells in vascular remodeling induced by low shear stress

YX Qi, J Jiang, XH Jiang, XD Wang… - Proceedings of the …, 2011 - National Acad Sciences
YX Qi, J Jiang, XH Jiang, XD Wang, SY Ji, Y Han, DK Long, BR Shen, ZQ Yan, S Chien…
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011National Acad Sciences
Shear stress, especially low shear stress (LowSS), plays an important role in vascular
remodeling during atherosclerosis. Endothelial cells (ECs), which are directly exposed to
shear stress, convert mechanical stimuli into intracellular signals and interact with the
underlying vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The interactions between ECs and
VSMCs modulate the LowSS-induced vascular remodeling. With the use of proteomic
analysis, the protein profiles of rat aorta cultured under LowSS (5 dyn/cm2) and normal …
Shear stress, especially low shear stress (LowSS), plays an important role in vascular remodeling during atherosclerosis. Endothelial cells (ECs), which are directly exposed to shear stress, convert mechanical stimuli into intracellular signals and interact with the underlying vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The interactions between ECs and VSMCs modulate the LowSS-induced vascular remodeling. With the use of proteomic analysis, the protein profiles of rat aorta cultured under LowSS (5 dyn/cm2) and normal shear stress (15 dyn/cm2) were compared. By using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis to identify protein–protein association, a network was disclosed that involves two secretary molecules, PDGF-BB and TGF-β1, and three other linked proteins, lamin A, lysyl oxidase, and ERK 1/2. The roles of this network in cellular communication, migration, and proliferation were further studied in vitro by a cocultured parallel-plate flow chamber system. LowSS up-regulated migration and proliferation of ECs and VSMCs, increased productions of PDGF-BB and TGF-β1, enhanced expressions of lysyl oxidase and phospho-ERK1/2, and decreased Lamin A in ECs and VSMCs. These changes induced by LowSS were confirmed by using PDGF-BB recombinant protein, siRNA, and neutralizing antibody. TGF-β1 had similar influences on ECs as PDGF-BB, but not on VSMCs. Our results suggest that ECs convert the LowSS stimuli into up-regulations of PDGF-BB and TGF-β1, but these two factors play different roles in LowSS-induced vascular remodeling. PDGF-BB is involved in the paracrine control of VSMCs by ECs, whereas TGF-β1 participates in the feedback control from VSMCs to ECs.
National Acad Sciences