Angiotensin II-induced differentiation of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells to smooth muscle-like cells.
Angiotensin II (Ang II) is involved in the development of cardiovascular disease and vascular remodeling. In this study, we demonstrate that treatment of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs) with Ang II increased the expression of smooth muscle-specific genes, including alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), calponin, h-caldesmon, and smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SM-MHC), and also elicited the secretion of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and delayed phosphorylation of Smad2. The Ang II-induced expression of alpha-SMA and delayed phosphorylation of Smad2 were blocked by pretreatment of the cells with a TGF-beta type I receptor kinase inhibitor, SB-431542, small interference RNA-mediated depletion of endogenous Smad2, and adenoviral expression of Smad7. Furthermore, the Ang II-induced TGF-beta1 secretion, alpha-SMA expression, and delayed phosphorylation of Smad2 in hADSCs were abrogated by the MEK inhibitor U0126, suggesting a pivotal role of MEK/ERK pathway in the Ang II-induced activation of TGF-beta1-Smad2 signaling pathway. The smooth muscle-like cells which were differentiated from hADSCs by Ang II treatment exhibited contraction in response to 60mM KCl. These results suggest that Ang II induces differentiation of hADSCs to contractile smooth muscle-like cells through ERK-dependent activation of the autocrine TGF-beta1-Smad2 crosstalk pathway.
Medical Research Center for Ischemic Tissue Regeneration, the Medical Research Institute, Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan 602-739, Republic of Korea.
Young Mi
YM
Kim
Eun Su
ES
Jeon
Mi Ra
MR
Kim
Sun Kug
SK
Jho
Seok Woo
SW
Ryu
Jae Ho
JH
Kim
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D019898:Autocrine Communication / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism
D051899:Smad2 Protein; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D000804:Angiotensin II; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D002118:Calcium