Overexpression of connective tissue growth factor gene induces apoptosis in human aortic smooth muscle cells

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is expressed at very high levels particularly in the shoulder of human atherosclerotic lesions but not in normal blood vessels. Thus, CTGF may be important in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell function in atherosclerosis, but its precise role remains elusive.

Full-length CTGF cDNA driven by a cytomegalovirus promoter was transiently transfected into cultured human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASCs). Northern and Western analysis demonstrated that CTGF was overexpressed in these cells 48 hours after transfection. The effects of CTGF overexpression on cell proliferation were evaluated by [(3)H]thymidine uptake and cell count in quiescent HASCs or those stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). Although mock transfection showed no effect, CTGF overexpression significantly inhibited cell proliferation in cells stimulated by PDGF. Moreover, CTGF overexpression, but not mock transfection, significantly increased apoptosis as assessed by DNA fragmentation associated with histone, TdT-mediated dUTP biotin nick end-labeling, and appearance of hypodiploid cells by flow cytometry.

Our results for the first time demonstrate that CTGF can also act as a growth inhibitor in human aortic smooth muscle cells at least in part by inducing apoptosis. This may be important for the formation and composition of lesions and plaque stability in atherosclerosis.