title: Downregulation of the ERK 1 and 2 mitogen activated protein kinases using antisense oligonucleotides inhibits proliferation of porcine vascular smooth muscle cells.
abstract: The current model of the arterial response to injury suggests that proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells is a central event. Mitogen activated protein kinases are part of the final common pathway of intracellular signalling involved in cell division and thus constitute an attractive target in attempting to inhibit this proliferation. We hypothesised that antisense oligonucleotides to mitogen activated protein kinase would inhibit serum induced smooth muscle cell proliferation by downregulating the protein. Porcine vascular smooth muscle cells were cultured and an antisense oligonucleotide sequence against the ERK family of mitogen activated protein kinases (AMK1) was introduced by liposomal transfection. Sense oligonucleotides and a random sequence were used as controls. Proliferation was inhibited by AMK1 versus the sense controls, as assessed by tritiated thymidine incorporation (P<0.01). Immunoblots revealed downregulation of the target protein by AMK1 by 63% versus the sense control (P<0.05). In conclusion, antisense oligonucleotides specifically inhibited proliferation and downregulated the target protein. This is consistent with a central role for mitogen activated protein kinases in vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in the porcine model. In addition, the data suggest a possible role for antisense oligonucleotides in the modulation of the arterial injury response.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Sciences Research Group, Wales Heart Research Institute, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, CF4 4XN, Cardiff, UK. fisherm@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Glennon
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Southgate
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sale
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Sale
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Groves
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015536:Down-Regulation; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011336:Probability; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases