title: The NF-κB pathway: regulation of the instability of atherosclerotic plaques activated by Fg, Fb, and FDPs.
abstract: Recently, the molecular mechanism responsible for the instability of atherosclerotic plaques has gradually become a hot topic among researchers and clinicians. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) play an important role in the processes of formation and development of atherosclerosis. In this study, we established and employed the transwell co-culture system of rabbit aortic endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells to explore the relationship between fibrin (Fb), fibrinogen (Fg), and/or their degradation products (FDPs) in relation to the instability of atherosclerotic plaques; meanwhile, we observed the effects of Fg, Fb, and FDPs on the mRNA levels of MMPs and VEGF as well as on the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). We concluded that Fb, Fg, and FDPs are involved in the progression of the instability of atherosclerotic plaques via increasing the expression of MMPs and VEGF. This effect might be mediated by the NF-кB pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 1055, Sanxiang Road, Suzhou, 215004, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China, yongjuncao@126.com.
authors.forename: Yongjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Xiaomei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Huihui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yanlin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Chunfeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005337:Fibrin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020784:Matrix Metalloproteinase 8 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D016328:NF-kappa B; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D005337:Fibrin; D005340:Fibrinogen; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020784:Matrix Metalloproteinase 8