Effect of PGC-1α on Proliferation, Migration, and Transdifferentiation of Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Induced by High Glucose

We assessed the role of PGC-1α (PPARγ coactivator-1 alpha) in glucose-induced proliferation, migration, and inflammatory gene expression of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). We carried out phagocytosis studies to assess the role of PGC-1α in transdifferentiation of VSMCs by flow cytometry. We fo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiaoqiang Qi, Yujing Zhang, Jing Li, Dongxia Hou, Yang Xiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2012-01-01
Series:Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/756426
Description
Summary:We assessed the role of PGC-1α (PPARγ coactivator-1 alpha) in glucose-induced proliferation, migration, and inflammatory gene expression of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). We carried out phagocytosis studies to assess the role of PGC-1α in transdifferentiation of VSMCs by flow cytometry. We found that high glucose stimulated proliferation, migration and inflammatory gene expression of VSMCs, but overexpression of PGC-1α attenuated the effects of glucose. In addition, overexpression of PGC-1α decreased mRNA and protein level of VSMCs-related genes, and induced macrophage-related gene expression, as well as phagocytosis of VSMCs. Therefore, PGC-1α inhibited glucose-induced proliferation, migration and inflammatory gene expression of VSMCs, which are key features in the pathology of atherosclerosis. More importantly, PGC-1α transdifferentiated VSMCs to a macrophage-like state. Such transdifferentiation possibly increased the portion of VSMCs-derived foam cells in the plaque and favored plaque stability.
ISSN:1110-7243
1110-7251