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Synergistic effects of transforming growth factor‐β on the expression of c‐fms , macrophage colony‐stimulating factor receptor gene, in vascular smooth muscle cells
Author(s) -
Inaba Toshimori,
Ishibashi Shun,
Harada Kenji,
Osuga Jun-ichi,
Yagyu Hiroaki,
Ohashi Ken,
Yazaki Yoshio,
Yamada Nobuhiro
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(96)01322-1
Subject(s) - macrophage colony stimulating factor , transforming growth factor , microbiology and biotechnology , vascular smooth muscle , macrophage , growth factor , chemistry , receptor , gene expression , gene , biology , smooth muscle , medicine , endocrinology , biochemistry , in vitro
Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) transform to foam cells in the process of atherosclerosis. We have reported that SMC derived from the intima of atherosclerotic lesions express c‐fms , macrophage colony‐stimulating factor receptor gene, which is not normally expressed in medial SMC. In the present study, we demonstrated that transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) synergistically induced expression of c‐fms in the presence of platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB in human medial SMC, a level comparable to that observed in the intima. The induction of c‐fms was not inhibited by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, suggesting that TGF‐β induces c‐fms via a PKC‐independent pathway. These results suggest that TGF‐β plays an important role in the phenotypic change of smooth muscle cells to macrophage‐like cells in the process of atherosclerosis.