Decoupled syndecan 1 mRNA and protein expression is differentially regulated by angiotensin II in macrophages

It has been established that syndecan-1 is an important modulator of events relevant to acute tissue repair and chronic injury responses. The current studies were designed to examine syndecan-1 expression during atherosclerotic lesion formation and whether angiotensin II influences syndecan-1 expression in macrophages. ApoE knockout mice maintained on an atherogenic diet were treated for 8 weeks with an infusion of angiotensin II to induce atherosclerosis. Immunohistochemistry was employed to characterize the expression of syndecan-1 in atherosclerotic lesions. Quantitative real-time PCR (QRTPCR) was used to define the role of angiotensin II and responsible signaling pathways involved syndecan-1 expression in RAW264.7 murine macrophages. Protein expression and shedding were characterized by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) and slot blot analysis. Syndecan-1 was abundantly expressed in macrophages located within early atherosclerotic lesions. Accordingly, we hypothesized that angiotensin II regulates syndecan-1 expression in macrophages. A time- and dose-dependent study was performed in RAW264.7 macrophages. QRTPCR demonstrated maximum syndecan-1 mRNA up-regulation at 6 h after 500 nM AgII stimulation (threefold; P < 0.05). Through administration of specific inhibitors, we established that ERK/MAPK, PI3K and JNK signaling pathways mediated this effect. FACS and slot blot analyses demonstrated that cAMP induced posttranscriptional syndecan-1 protein expression in a dose-dependent manner with or without initial angiotensin II stimulation. In particular, angiotensin II induced an increase in cell surface syndecan-1 (mean fluorescence intensity: 147 +/- 5.7 vs. 176 +/- 4.8; P < 0.05; n = 3) and accelerated syndecan-1 shedding. Angiotensin II is a potent regulator of syndecan-1 expression in atherosclerotic lesions via a specific effect on macrophages that is mediated by ERK/MAPK, PI3K, and JNK signaling pathways.