Effects of FHL1 on proliferation and migration of rat pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells stimulated by cigarette smoke

AIM:To explore the role of four-and-a-half LIM domain 1 (FHL1) in the proliferation and migration of rat distal pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) stimulated by cigarette smoke extract (CSE). METHODS:Rat distal PASMCs were isolated and primarily cultured. The cells were divided into 6 groups: blank control group, negative transfection group, FHL1 siRNA transfection group, CSE group, CSE + negative transfection group and CSE + FHL1 siRNA transfection group. The mRNA and protein expression of FHL1 was detected by real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Cell proliferation and migration were determined by CCK-8 and Transwell assays, respectively. RESULTS:CSE promoted the proliferation and migration of PASMCs, and increased the expression of FHL1 protein (P<0.01), but did not change the expression of FHL1 mRNA (P>0.05). FHL1 siRNA transfection attenuated the proliferation and migration of PASMCs induced by CSE (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: FHL1 protein is involved in CSE-induced proliferation and migration of rat PASMCs.