Cell-cell bond modulates vascular smooth muscle cell responsiveness to Angiotensin II

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2009 Oct 23;388(3):523-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2009.08.031. Epub 2009 Aug 8.

Abstract

Cell attachment is provided by cell-matrix and cell-cell bonds, and acts as a regulator of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) survival, activity and homeostasis, as well as of VSMCs response to pathogenic stimuli. In this work we elicited an exclusive cell-cell contact by culturing A7r5 VSMCs on agarose-coated wells to form floating cell clusters, and we demonstrated that a steady state with a reduced response to the vasoactive peptide Angiotensin II (ATII) was induced. We found that clustered VSMCs showed subcortical stabilization of beta-catenin and Caveolin 1 (Cav1), unlike adherent confluent counterparts. We demonstrated that beta-catenin and Cav1 stabilization at the membrane level hampers the molecular cross-talk induced by ATII-activated AT1 receptor (AT1R), thereby impeding the phosphorylation of Cav1 and IGF1R, the NADPH oxidase activity, and counteracting ATII-dependent hypertrophy. Thus, elective cell-cell bond might modulate the proatherogenic activity of ATII, reducing the adverse vascular remodelling associated with AT1R activation.

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin II / pharmacology
  • Angiotensin II / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Caveolin 1 / metabolism
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Communication*
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / drug effects
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / metabolism
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / physiology*
  • Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / drug effects
  • Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / metabolism
  • Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / physiology*
  • NADPH Oxidases / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Rats
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 / metabolism
  • Receptor, IGF Type 1 / metabolism
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Caveolin 1
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1
  • beta Catenin
  • Angiotensin II
  • NADPH Oxidases
  • Receptor, IGF Type 1