Effects of apolipoprotein (a) on vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation and cell signal transduction pathway

AIM: To investigate the effect and the mechanism of apolipoprotein (a) ［apo (a)］ on proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). METHODS: All VSMCs used in experiments were serial subcultured from primary cells and were identified by immunohistochemistry staining of α-actin. Cell growth assay was observed as cell counting and MTT assay. Western blotting was also employed to detect the related mechanism. RESULTS: All cells used in experiments were confirmed as VSMCs. Although apo (a) enhanced VSMCs proliferation, this effect was attenuated by anti-integrin αⅤβ3, LM609. Use these reagents alone had no effect on VSMCs growth. The results of Western blotting demonstrated that focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was activated by apo (a) and the expression of total or phosphorylated transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) was also decreased. However, these effects described above were all blocked by LM609. CONCLUSION: Apolipoprotein (a) enhances VSMCs proliferation and this effect is mediated by integrin αⅤβ3, which activates FAK and attenuates TGF-β1 and phospho-TGF-β1 expression.