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Sympathetic innervation promotes vascular smooth muscle differentiation
1Dept. of Pharmacology, Given Bldg., Rm. C413A, 89 Beaumont Ave., Univ. of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA. Deborah.Damon@uvm.edu
American Journal of Physiology. Heart and Circulatory Physiology
|January 25, 2005
Summary
The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) promotes vascular smooth muscle (VSM) differentiation. Sympathetic innervation increases the expression of key VSM contractile proteins, supporting VSM function and development.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Neuroscience
- Cellular Biology
Background:
- The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) influences vascular smooth muscle (VSM) growth and function.
- Evidence suggests the SNS may also play a role in VSM differentiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that the SNS promotes VSM differentiation.
- To assess the impact of sympathetic innervation on VSM contractile protein expression.
Main Methods:
- Western analysis was used to measure smooth muscle myosin (SM2) and alpha-actin expression in innervated and non-innervated rat arteries.
- In vitro studies involved VSM-endothelial cell cultures with and without sympathetic neurons.
- Transforming growth factor-beta2 neutralization was employed to investigate signaling pathways.
Main Results:
- Innervated adult rat arteries showed significantly higher SM2 expression compared to non-innervated arteries.
- Alpha-actin expression was elevated in innervated femoral arteries and in VSM-endothelial cells co-cultured with sympathetic neurons.
- The pro-differentiation effect in cell cultures was partially blocked by TGF-beta2 inhibition.
Conclusions:
- Sympathetic innervation increases the expression of VSM contractile proteins, indicating enhanced VSM differentiation.
- The SNS appears to promote and/or maintain VSM differentiation.
- Transforming growth factor-beta2 may mediate some of the SNS effects on VSM differentiation.