Mimecan is involved in aortic hypertrophy induced by sinoaortic denervation in rats

This study was designed to investigate whether mimecan was involved in aortic hypertrophy induced by sinoaortic denervation in rats. 8 weeks after sinoaortic denervation, when compared to sham-operated rats, sinoaortic denervated rats exhibited aortic hypertrophy and down-regulation of mimecan. Through classic univariate correlation analysis, it was found that mimecan mRNA was negatively related to extent of aortic hypertrophy. Treatment of primary cultured vascular smooth muscle cells with the Ang II (1 μM), which was found locally increased in the aortae of sinoaortic denervated rats, resulted in a reduction of mimecan expression. In vitro, knockdown of mimecan in vascular smooth muscle cells promoted cell proliferation induced by 15% of fetal bovine serum or Ang II (1 μM). We concluded that down-regulation of mimecan was involved in aortic hypertrophy induced by sinoaortic denervation in rats.