Background: Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) phenotype switching is very important during the pathogenesis and progression of vascular diseases. However, it is not well understood how normal VSMCs maintain the differentiated state. The large-conductance Ca-activated K (BK) channels are widely expressed in VSMCs and regulate vascular tone. Nevertheless, there is limited understanding of the role of the BK channel in modulation of the VSMC phenotype.
Methods And Results: We assessed BK channel expression levels in normal and injured carotid arteries from rats of the balloon-injury model. A strong decrease of BK-β1 was seen in the injured carotid arteries, accompanied by a parallel decrease of the VSMC contractile markers. BK-β1 in primary rat aortic VSMCs was decreased with the increase of passage numbers and the stimulation of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. Conversely, transforming growth factor β upregulated BK-β1. Meanwhile, the BK-β1 level was positively associated with the levels of VSMC contractile proteins. Intravenous injection of PDGF-BB induced downregulation of BK-β1 expression in the carotid arteries. Knockdown of BK-β1 favored VSMC dedifferentiation, characterized by altered morphology, abnormal actin fiber organization, decreased contractile proteins expression and reduced contractile ability. Furthermore, the resultant VSMC dedifferentiated phenotype rendered increased proliferation, migration, enhanced inflammatory factors levels, and matrix metalloproteinases activity. Studies using primary cultured aortic VSMCs from human recapitulated key findings. Finally, protein level of BK-β1 was reduced in human atherosclerotic arteries.
Conclusion: BK-β1 is important in the maintenance of the contractile phenotype of VSMCs. As a novel endogenous defender that prevents pathological VSMC phenotype switching, BK-β1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for treating vascular diseases including post-injury restenosis and atherosclerosis.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2022.1062695 | DOI Listing |
Nutrients
December 2024
Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), 37005 Salamanca, Spain.
Background: Recent research highlights the potential role of sex-specific variations in cardiovascular disease. The gut microbiome has been shown to differ between the sexes in patients with cardiovascular risk factors.
Objectives: The main objective of this study is to analyze the differences between women and men in the relationship between gut microbiota and measures of arterial stiffness.
Brain Res Bull
January 2025
Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100050, Beijing, China; Precision and Intelligence Medical Imaging Lab, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100050, Beijing, China. Electronic address:
Purpose: Dobutamine, a sympathomimetic agent, is widely used clinically, influencing cardiac output, heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP), which may impact cerebral blood flow (CBF), critical for brain metabolism. However, the effects of dobutamine on CBF and internal carotid artery (ICA) blood flow remain unclear, with contradictory reported in both clinical and animal studies. It is necessary to investigate the effects of dobutamine on cervical and cerebral hemodynamics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRadiologie (Heidelb)
January 2025
Klinik für diagnostische und interventionelle Neuroradiologie, Universitätskliniken des Saarlandes, Kirrberger Str., 66421, Homburg Saar, Deutschland.
Performance: Spontaneous dissections of the cerebral arteries are among the leading causes of stroke in young adults. They result from hemorrhage into the outer layers of the arterial wall, which can lead to stenosis or even complete vessel occlusion. Clinical presentations vary, ranging from localized pain to cerebral ischemic complications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Biomech Eng
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Yuquan Campus, 38 Zheda Road, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang, China; Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study of Zhejiang University, Zhangjiang Guochuang Center phase, No.799, Dangui Road, Shanghai 200120, China.
The carotid and vertebral arteries are principal conduits for cerebral blood supply and are common sites for atherosclerotic plaque formation. To date, there has been extensive clinical and hemodynamic reporting on carotid arteries; however, studies focusing on the hemodynamic characteristics of the vertebral artery (VA) are notably scarce. This article presents a systematic analysis of the impact of VA diameter and the angle of divergence from the subclavian artery (SA) on hemodynamic properties, facilitated by the construction of an idealized VA geometric model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur Radiol
January 2025
Institute of PLA Geriatric Medicine, The Second Medical Center & National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Objective: To establish morphological and radiomic models for early prediction of cognitive impairment associated with cerebrovascular disease (CI-CVD) in an elderly cohort based on cerebral magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).
Methods: One-hundred four patients with CI-CVD and 107 control subjects were retrospectively recruited from the 14-year elderly MRA cohort, and 63 subjects were enrolled for external validation. Automated quantitative analysis was applied to analyse the morphological features, including the stenosis score, length, relative length, twisted angle, and maximum deviation of cerebral arteries.
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