The molecular mechanisms of SM22alpha in cytoskeleton remodeling of vascular smooth muscle cells / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the molecular mechanisms of smooth muscle 22 alpha (SM22alpha) whereby cytoskeleton remodeling of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is regulated.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Synthetic (dedifferentiated) VSMCs were converted to contractile (differentiated) VSMCs by serum deprivation. Cells were transfected with pEGFP-SM22alpha, and localization of SM22alpha and its relationship with F-actin were observed through fluorescence microscopy. Fractional extraction of proteins and Western blotting were used to detect polymerization of SM alpha-actin in antisense-pcD2-SM22alpha-transfected VSMCs.Furthermore, effect of SM22alpha on F-actin cross-linking was observed by F-actin polymerization experiment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Fluorescence microscopy showed that SM22alpha co-localized with F-actin in contractile VSMCs. Western blotting of protein extracts from F-/G-actin fractions revealed that polymerization of SM alpha-actin was lower in antisense-pcD2-SM22alpha-transfected VSMCs, in which SM alpha-actin mostly existed as soluble G-actin. Moreover, F-actin polymerization in vitro also showed that GST-SM22alpha could promote cross-linking of F-actin to form thick and bundled stress fibres,while extracts from VSMCs transfected with antisense-pcD2-SM22alpha could not effectively induce the polymerization of F-actin.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SM22alpha acts as a modulator to participate in VSMC cytoskeleton remodeling. It can not only induce polymerization of G-actin to F-actin, but also promote cross-linking of F-actin to bundled stress fibres, indicating its vital role in cytoskeleton remodeling.</p>

Recombinant C-terminal fragment of SM22 induces cytoskeleton reorganization / 中国应用生理学杂志

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the interaction between C-terminal domains of SM22alpha and cytoskeleton F-actin.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Prokaryotic expression vector containing SM22alpha cDNA and GST sequence was constructed. The induction conditions were optimized to increase the product of soluble GST-SM22alpha fusion protein in E coli. Expression products were purified and rabbit anti-GST-SM22alpha polyclonal antibody was produced by the purified fusion protein. In order to explore the effect of SM22alpha on cytoskeleton reorganization, VSMCs were treated with serum withdrawal and then serum stimulation to induce contractile/synthetic phenotypic modulation. SM22alpha protein distribution in F-actin/G-actin fractions was detected by Western blotting. The interaction between SM22alpha and actin was examined by GST pull down assay and coimmunoprecipitation. Colocalization of endogenous SM22alpha with F-actin was observed by immunofluorescence.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The results showed that the expression of soluble GST-SM22alpha protein was the highest under condition induced by 30 degrees C, 0.5 mmol/L IPTG for 6 h. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting of protein extracts from F-actin/G-actin fractions revealed that SM22alpha colocalized with F-actin during VSMC redifferentiation. GST pull down assay and coimmunoprecipitation showed that SM22alpha interacted with F-actin by C-terminal domains to participate in cytoskeleton reorganization.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The recombinant SM22alpha C-terminal domains have the ability to bind F-actin, by which SM22alpha interacts with actin and participates in cytoskeleton reorganization.</p>