The PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway regulates the replicative senescence of human VSMCs.
Replicative senescence of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) contributes to aging as well as age-related cardiovascular diseases. Rapamycin can delay the onset of aging-related diseases via inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), but its role in vascular aging remains elusive. This study investigated the involvement of mTOR signaling in replicative senescence of VSMCs. Replicative senescence was induced by the extended passages of human VSMCs. Aging-related cell morphology was observed. The aging-related proteins and enzyme activity, and oxidative stress were measured. Significant increase in SA-β-gal activity and protein expression, p53 and p16 protein expression, proliferation index (PI), malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, and significant decrease in telomerase activity was observed in aging VSMCs compared to young cells. Significant activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling was observed in aging cells but not young cells. Pretreatment of VSMCs with PI3K inhibitor blocked while PI3K activator increased the changes of the above replicative senescence-related parameters in VSMCs. Rapamycin and silencing of mTOR expression inhibited replicative senescence in VSMCs through decreasing the level of p-mTOR Ser2448, p-mTOR Thr2446, and S6K1 phosphorylation. This study for the first time demonstrated that the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/S6K1 signal pathway plays an important role in regulating replicative senescence of human VSMCs.
Geriatric Department of the Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Institute of Aging and Geriatric Research, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
Pan
P
Tan
Geriatric Department of the Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Institute of Aging and Geriatric Research, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
Yan-Jiao
YJ
Wang
Geriatric Department of the Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Institute of Aging and Geriatric Research, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
Shuang
S
Li
Geriatric Department of the Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Institute of Aging and Geriatric Research, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
Yi
Y
Wang
Geriatric Department of the Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Institute of Aging and Geriatric Research, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
Je-Yu
JY
He
Geriatric Department of the Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Institute of Aging and Geriatric Research, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
Yi-Yin
YY
Chen
Geriatric Department of the Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Institute of Aging and Geriatric Research, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
Hui-Qian
HQ
Deng
Geriatric Department of the Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Institute of Aging and Geriatric Research, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
Wu
W
Huang
Geriatric Department of the Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Institute of Aging and Geriatric Research, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China. zhanjunkun@163.com.
Jun-Kun
JK
Zhan
Geriatric Department of the Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Institute of Aging and Geriatric Research, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China. liuyoushuo@yahoo.com.
You-Shuo
YS
Liu
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; C546842:MTOR protein, human
PI3K/Akt/mTOR; Replicative senescence; Vascular aging; Vascular smooth muscle cells