title: Synergistic effects of transforming growth factor-beta on the expression of c-fms, macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor gene, in vascular smooth muscle cells.
abstract: Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) transform to foam cells in the process of atherosclerosis. We have reported that SMC derived from the intima of atherosclerotic lesions express c-fms, macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor gene, which is not normally expressed in medial SMC. In the present study, we demonstrated that transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) synergistically induced expression of c-fms in the presence of platelet-derived growth factor-BB in human medial SMC, a level comparable to that observed in the intima. The induction of c-fms was not inhibited by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, suggesting that TGF-beta induces c-fms via a PKC-independent pathway. These results suggest that TGF-beta plays an important role in the phenotypic change of smooth muscle cells to macrophage-like cells in the process of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: The Third Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inaba
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Osuga
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yagyu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yazaki
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D000077214:Becaplermin; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D016186:Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D000077214:Becaplermin; D016186:Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor