Hypoxia Increases Periostin Expression and the Related Signal Pathway in Rat Pulmonary arter Smooth Muscle Cells

Abstract: The effects of hypoxia on the Periostin expression and the related signal transduction pathway in rat pulmonary arterials mooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were observed in this study. Primary PASMCs were cultured with collagenase I. The PASMCs were treated at hypoxia (5% O2) for 2， 6， 12， 24 h separately. The expressions of Periostin mRNA and protein in PASMCs of rat were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. LY294002 (10 μmol/L)， a specific inhibitor of PI3K/Akt signal pathway， was used to treat PAMSCs at hypoxia for 24 h. Periostin and Akt/ P-Akt protein were detected by Western blot. Compared with control group， the mRNA and protein expressions of Periostin increased significantly in hypoxia PASMCs treated for 6， 12， 24 h (P<0.05， P<0.01)， and there was no significant difference between normal group and hypoxia 2 h group (P>0.05). After treated with LY294002 for 24 h at hypoxia， the expressions of Periostin and P-Akt were down-regulate significantly (P<0.01， P<0.05) compared with hypoxia 24 h group. But there was no significant difference for Akt protein expression (P>0.05). The results suggested that hypoxia exposure could upregulate the mRNA and protein expressions of Periostin in PASMCs. Hypoxia exposure might activate the PI3K/Akt signal pathway， promote Akt phosphorylation， and then induce Periostin protein overexpression. It indicated that Periostin might play an important role in hypoxia-induced PASMCs proliferation.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2014.05.0016