It has been shown that activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) suppresses proliferation of a variety of tumor cells as well as nonmalignant cells. In this study, we used post-transcriptional gene silencing with small interfering RNA (siRNA) to specifically examine the effect of AMPK on pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) proliferation and to further elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms. Our results showed that knockdown of AMPKα2 promoted primary cultured PASMCs proliferation; this was accompanied with the elevation of phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2) protein level and reduction of p27(Kip1). Importantly, prior silencing of mTOR with siRNA abolished AMPKα2 knockdown-induced Skp2 upregulation, p27(Kip1) reduction as well as PASMCs proliferation. Furthermore, pre-depletion of Skp2 by siRNA also eliminated p27(Kip1) downregulation and PASMCs proliferation caused by AMPKα2 knockdown. Taken together, our study indicates that AMPKα2 isoform plays an important role in regulation of PASMCs proliferation by modulating mTOR/Skp2/p27(Kip1) axis, and suggests that activation of AMPKα2 might have potential value in the prevention and treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms17060844 | DOI Listing |
Eur J Med Chem
January 2025
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Drug Research for Chronic Diseases, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Organ Fibrosis, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China. Electronic address:
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a heterotrimeric serine-threonine kinase, has been identified as a promising target for regulating vascular remodeling in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) due to its capacity to promote proliferation, autophagy, and anti-apoptosis in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). However, research into AMPK inhibitors is very limited. Herein, a virtual screening strategy was employed to identify CHEMBL3780091 as a lead compound for a series of novel AMPK inhibitors by exploring the structure-activity relationship around a specific pyridine-2-one scaffold.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRedox Biol
January 2025
Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, PR China. Electronic address:
Background: The binding of endothelin-1 (ET-1) to endothelin type A receptor (ETAR) performs a critical action in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation leading to pulmonary vascular structural remodeling. More evidence showed that cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE)-catalyzed endogenous hydrogen sulfide (HS) was involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of endogenous HS/CSE pathway on the ET-1/ETAR binding and its underlying mechanisms in the cellular and animal models of PASMC proliferation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Surg Res
January 2025
Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, ShanDong, China. Electronic address:
Introduction: Sildenafil, a selective phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, modulates vascular dysfunction, with hypoxia-induced pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) proliferation, migration, and invasion closely implicated in vascular remodeling in persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). This study aimed to assess sildenafil's protective effects against PPHN and elucidate underlying molecular pathways.
Methods: Cell Counting Kit-8, wound healing, and Transwell assays evaluated rat PASMC proliferation, migration, and invasion under hypoxia.
Int J Biol Macromol
January 2025
Central Laboratory of Harbin Medical University (Daqing), Daqing 163319, PR China; College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, PR China; Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, PR China. Electronic address:
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a malignant cardiovascular disease with a complex etiology. 5-Methylcytosine (m5C) is a post-transcriptional RNA modification identified in both stable and highly abundant RNAs, with a lower frequency of occurrence in circular RNAs (circRNAs). Nevertheless, the function of m5C-modified circRNAs in the pathogenesis of PH remains uncertain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImmunol Lett
January 2025
First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, China. Electronic address:
(1) BACKGROUND: Metabolic abnormalities and immune inflammation are key elements within pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). And in PAH patients, aberrant glutamine metabolism has been observed; however, the function of glutaminase 1 (GLS1) in macrophage is still unknown. So we aims to investigate GLS1's impact upon macrophages in PAH.
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