Overexpression of allograft inflammatory factor-1 promotes proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells by cell cycle deregulation.
Allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) is not present in normal arteries, but its expression is induced in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in several models of arterial injury. The proliferation of VSMCs is a major component of neointimal hyperplasia in many arteriopathies, and the purpose of this study was to determine the role of AIF-1 in the growth of VSMCs. Transfection and constitutive expression of AIF-1 in a primary and a rat VSMC line results in enhanced growth of those cells as measured by cell number and is proportional to the amount of AIF-1 expressed. Constitutive expression of AIF-1 results in a shorter cell cycle, as measured by flow cytometry, and aberrant expression of cell cycle proteins, as determined by Western blot. AIF-1 overexpression also permits growth of these cells in serum-reduced media. Collectively, these data suggest that AIF-1 may participate in the progression of vascular proliferative disease on the basis of its ability to regulate the growth of VSMCs.
Autieri
M V
MV
Departments of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Group, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA. mautieri@unix.temple.edu
Carbone
C M
CM
D000818:Animals; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D016213:Cyclins / Q000378:metabolism; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D014162:Transfection
C100745:Aif1 protein, rat; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D016213:Cyclins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen