title: Targeted overexpression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-delta evokes enhanced gene transcription of platelet-derived growth factor alpha-receptor in vascular smooth muscle cells.
abstract: Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is thought to play a significant role in various models of vascular remodeling, particularly in the early process of vascular diseases. Its action is mediated by its specific receptor, the PDGF receptor. The PDGF alpha-receptor (PDGFalphaR) plays an important role in the growth and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and its gene expression is thought to be regulated by several potential transcriptional nuclear factors. However, the detailed mechanisms of tissue-specific transactivation of the PDGFalphaR gene in VSMCs remain to be clarified. We have previously demonstrated that the rat PDGFalphaR gene contains an enhancer core sequence for CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs) in its promoter region, and we have also suggested that C/EBP-delta is the principal factor involved in the induction of tissue-specific transcriptional activity of the PDGFalphaR gene in VSMCs. To explore the definitive roles of C/EBP-delta protein on PDGFalphaR gene transcription in VSMCs, we developed C/EBP-delta transgenic rats by using a chimeric fusion gene of the mouse smooth muscle alpha-actin promoter and an entire coding region of rat C/EBP-delta cDNA. This report describes the first successful targeted overexpression of C/EBP-delta capable of inducing PDGFalphaR gene transcription and modifying cell proliferative activity to PDGFs. Targeted overexpression of C/EBP-delta evokes high levels of PDGFalphaR gene expression, susceptibility to VSMC growth, and proliferation of VSMCs to PDGFs. The results obtained reveal evidence of a new role and new functional significance of C/EBP-delta on VSMC growth via the PDGFalphaR during the process of vascular remodeling and atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Ehime University School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan.
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitami
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiwada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D051743:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-delta; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; C497252:CEBPD protein, human; C497254:Cebpd protein, rat; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051743:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-delta; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha