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Updated: Jul 16, 2025

Visualization and Quantification of TGFβ/BMP/SMAD Signaling under Different Fluid Shear Stress Conditions using Proximity-Ligation-Assay
Published on: September 14, 2021
SMOC2 promoted vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix degradation by
Xiaowei Wang1, Meng Wang2, Zhongxiao Zhou1
1Department of Vascular Surgery, Weihai Municipal Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No. 70 Heping Road, Huancui District, Weihai, Shandong 264200, China.
Abstract:
A widespread degenerative condition of the aorta, abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), severely endangers the health of middle-aged and elderly people. SPARC related modular calcium binding2 (SMOC2) is upregulated in the carotid arteries of rats with atherosclerotic lesions, but its function in AAA is still unknown. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the function of SMOC2 in AAA. The results showed that in the AAA tissues, SMOC2 expression was upregulated compared with healthy controls. Overexpression of SMOC2 promoted vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. In contrast, silence of SMOC2 inhibited VSMCs proliferation, migration, and ECM degradation. Overexpression of SMOC2 promoted BMP and TGF-β1 expression and silence of SMOC2 had an opposite effect. Besides, inhibition of BMP or TGF-β1 suppressed VSMCs cell proliferation, migration, and ECM degradation. Moreover, inhibition BMP or TGF-β1 reversed the promotive effects of SMOC2 overexpression on VSMCs proliferation, migration, and ECM degradation. SMOC2 may affecte the formation of AAA by upregulating BMP and TGF-β1 to regulate the proliferation, migration, and ECM degradation of VSMCs.
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