Role of K(Ca)3.1 channel in proliferation and migration of rat vascular smooth muscle cells of the proliferative phenotype / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of K(Ca)3.1 channel in the proliferation and migration of rat vascular smooth muscle cells of the proliferative phenotype.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were cultured with tissue adhesion method. The morphological characteristics of the fist and ninth passages of VSMCs were observed with light and electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry. The expressions of K(Ca)3.1 channel mRNA and protein in the cells were detected using RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry, respectively. MTT and transwell assay were employed to assess the effect of the K(Ca)3.1 channel blocker TRAM-34 on the proliferation and migration of VSMCs.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The first and ninth passages of VSMCs showed morphological characteristics of contractile and proliferative phenotypes, respectively. Compared with the first- passage cells, the ninth-passage VSMCs exhibited significantly increased K(Ca)3.1 channel mRNA and protein expressions with enhanced cell proliferation and migration (P<0.01), which was inhibited by the application of TRAM-34 (P<0.01). TRAM-34 produced no obvious effect on the first-passage VSMCs.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Upregulated expression of K(Ca)3.1 channel can promote the proliferation and migration of rat VSMCs of the proliferative phenotype.</p>