Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
08:28
Isolation of Primary Patient-specific Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells and Semiquantitative Real-time Contraction Measurements In Vitro
Published on: February 15, 2022
Hsc70 regulates cell surface ASIC2 expression and vascular smooth muscle cell migration
Samira C Grifoni1, Susan E McKey, Heather A Drummond
1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State St., Jackson, MS 39216, USA.
Summary
Acid-sensing ion channel 2 (ASIC2) inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell migration. Heat shock protein 70 (Hsc70) normally suppresses ASIC2, but reducing Hsc70 increases ASIC2 and decreases cell migration.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Members of the degenerin (DEG)/epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC)/acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC) family are implicated in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration.
- Previous findings indicated that suppressing ASIC2 enhances VSMC migration, suggesting an inhibitory role for ASIC2.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that ASIC2 inhibits VSMC migration by increasing its cell surface expression.
- To explore the role of heat shock protein 70 (Hsc70) in regulating ASIC2 expression and VSMC migration.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the chemical chaperone glycerol to enhance ASIC2 expression and cell surface localization in VSMCs.
- Employed gene silencing techniques to investigate the roles of ASIC2 and Hsc70 in VSMC migration.
- Assessed the impact of glycerol and Hsc70 manipulation on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-bb-mediated VSMC migration.
Main Results:
- Glycerol treatment increased cytoplasmic and cell surface ASIC2 expression, leading to inhibited PDGF-bb-mediated VSMC migration.
- ASIC2 silencing abrogated the inhibitory effect of glycerol on VSMC migration, confirming ASIC2's role.
- Hsc70 silencing increased ASIC2 cell surface expression and inhibited VSMC migration, an effect dependent on ASIC2.
- These data indicate Hsc70 normally inhibits ASIC2 expression, and its removal enhances ASIC2, reducing VSMC migration.
Conclusions:
- ASIC2 functions as an inhibitor of VSMC migration.
- Hsc70 negatively regulates ASIC2 expression in VSMCs.
- The ASIC2-Hsc70 interaction presents a potential therapeutic target for vascular remodeling and injury processes.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
Rapidly dividing tumors, embryos, and wounded tissues require more oxygen than usual, lowering the oxygen concentration in the blood. At low oxygen or hypoxic conditions, an oxygen-sensitive transcription factor called the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 or HIF1 is activated. HIF1 is a dimeric protein of alpha (ɑ) and beta (β) subunits. Under optimal oxygen conditions, HIF1β is present in the nucleus while HIF1ɑ remains in the cytosol. HIF1ɑ is hydroxylated by prolyl hydroxylase and factor...
01:19Cell Migration
Cell migration is a process by which the cells move from one location to another, playing an essential role in embryological development, repair and regeneration, immune response, and metastasis. Cells migrate in response to chemical or mechanical signals generated by specific organs or tissues. The overall mechanism includes three steps - polarization, protrusion, and release. Polarization involves the formation of a distinct cell front and rear, which determines the direction of movement.
01:09Cell Migration
Cell migration, the process by which cells move from one location to another, is essential for the proper development and viability of organisms throughout their life. When cells are not able to migrate properly to their ordained locations, various disorders may occur. For example, disruption in cell migration causes chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
02:33Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...
01:32Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration
A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker proteins that...
01:24Overview of Cell-Matrix Interactions
The extracellular matrix or ECM holds cells together to form a tissue and allows the cells within the tissue to communicate. ECM comprises proteins such as fibronectin, collagen, laminin, etc. The most abundant protein in this space is collagen. Collagen fibers are interwoven with carbohydrate-containing protein molecules called proteoglycans. ECM allows cell migration and provides a structural scaffold at cell adhesion that anchors the cell when the extracellular matrix proteins interact with...