mRNA expression of complement components and regulators in rat arterial smooth muscle cells.
The presence of C5b-9 complexes, some complement regulators, and abundant cytokines in atherosclerotic lesions has been reported. However, it is unclear whether these complement-associated proteins are produced by vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and how they are influenced by the cytokines. In the present study, we demonstrated, by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method, the mRNA expression of complement components (C3, C4, and C5) and membrane regulators (decay-accelerating factor, membrane cofactor protein, Crry, and CD59) in cultured SMCs derived from the rat carotid artery. The expression of C9 mRNA was also induced upon stimulation by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Northern blot analysis showed that the mRNA expression of C3, C4, DAF and Crry was up-regulated, but that of CD59 was down-regulated by IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and/or LPS alone or by synergy. The increase of C3 mRNA by TNF-alpha or LPS and that of C4 mRNA by IFN-gamma was induced in a dose-dependent manner. The results indicate that the arterial SMCs of rat have the ability to produce complement components and regulators, which is affected by cytokines and/or LPS. Since atherosclerosis is characterized by the intimal proliferation of SMCs, the complement system including its regulators may be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.
Li
W
W
Department of Pathology, Nagoya City University Medical School, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Tada
T
T
Miwa
T
T
Okada
N
N
Ito
J
J
Okada
H
H
Tateyama
H
H
Eimoto
T
T
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002339:Carotid Arteries; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003167:Complement Activation; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D003165:Complement System Proteins