ROCK2 mediates the proliferation of pulmonary arterial endothelial cells induced by hypoxia in the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
It has been reported that RhoA activation and Rho-kinase (ROCK) expression are increased in chronic hypoxic lungs, and the long-term inhibition of ROCK markedly improves the survival of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, whether Rho-kinase α (ROCK2) participates in regulation of the growth of pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (PAECs) remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of hypoxia on the proliferation of PAECs and the role of ROCK2 in the underlying mechanism. The results of western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that hypoxia increased the activity and expression of ROCK2 in PAECs, and the stimulating effects of hypoxia on the proliferation of PAECs were attenuated by either the ROCK inhibitor Y27632 or transfection with ROCK2 small interfering RNA. Moreover, analysis of cyclin A and cyclin D1 mRNA expression indicated that ROCK2 mediates the cell cycle progression promoted by hypoxia. These results indicate that hypoxia promotes the proliferation of pulmonary arterial endothelial cells via activation of the ROCK2 signaling pathway.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang 154002, P.R. China.
Feng
F
Qiao
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang 154002, P.R. China.
Zhitian
Z
Zou
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang 154002, P.R. China.
Chunhui
C
Liu
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang 154002, P.R. China.
Xiaofeng
X
Zhu
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang 154002, P.R. China.
Xiaoqiang
X
Wang
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang 154002, P.R. China.
Chengpeng
C
Yang
Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang 154002, P.R. China.
Tengjiao
T
Jiang
Department of Intensive Care Unit, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang 154002, P.R. China.
Ying
Y
Chen
ROCK2; hypoxia; proliferation; pulmonary arterial endothelial cells; pulmonary arterial hypertension