20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) stimulates migration of vascular smooth muscle cells.

Aim: We tested the hypothesis that 20-HETE production contributes to platelet derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB stimulated migration of VSMC in a cell culture model.

Methods: Studies were performed with A10 cells which are a rat vascular smooth muscle derived cell line. Migration was determined using a Boyden chamber chemotactic assay.

Results: Pre-treatment of cells with two doses of 20-HETE (100 and 500 nM) significantly increased PDGF-BB stimulated VSMC migration by 34-58% of control; whereas, prior incubation of cells with inhibitors of 20-HETE production, 17-ODYA (1-25 M) or HET0016 (100 nM), significantly decreased PDGF-BB stimulated migration by 40-90%. 20-HETE mediated increase in PDGF-BB migration was completely prevented by the 20-HETE antagonist, WIT-002. In order to determine what second messenger pathways are involved in the 20-HETE mediated stimulation of VSM migration, experiments were performed with specific inhibitors of tyrosine kinase (tyrphostin 25, 10 microM), mitogen-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK, PD98059, 20 microM and U0126, 10 microM), protein kinase C (Myr-PKC, 50 microM), and phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) (wortmannin, 50 nM). Blockade of MEK and PI3K all abolished the increase in 20-HETE mediated migration.

Conclusion: 20-HETE stimulates PDGF-mediated VSM migration acting through pathways that involve MEK and PI3K.