Usefulness of Material Recovered from Distal Embolic Protection Devices after Carotid Angioplasty for Proteomic Studies

Intramural Administration of Translational Inhibitor Puromycin Upon Balloon Angioplasty Inhibits SMC Proliferation and Protein Synthesis-Vascular Proteome Profiling Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is an effective procedure to decrease the severity of stenotic coronary atherosclerotic lesions. However, its long-term success is limited by the formation of restenosis or neointima by increased proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and synthesis of extracellular matrix. Polypeptide growth factors are potent SMC mitogens and are involved in SMC proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis. In this line, inhibition of de novo protein synthesis might be beneficial.

METHODS

We examined the effects of different concentrations of translational inhibitor puromycin on SMC proliferation and apoptosis, in vitro. Further, we examined the effects of local administration of puromycin in a rabbit balloon injury model of the iliac artery.

RESULTS

Injection of puromycin or its vehicle was performed with an infusion-balloon catheter directly into the vessel wall during angioplasty. PTA in the vehicle group resulted in neointima formation 3 weeks after the vascular intervention. In contrast, puromycin treatment resulted in a significant reduction of intima-media ratio. We observed decreased elastin and collagen III synthesis in puromycin-treated animals. With proteomics, we could demonstrate reduced protein expression of lamin, vimentin, alpha-1 antitrypsin, alpha-actin allowing puromycin treatment. In in vitro experiments, puromycin decreased SMCs proliferation (i.e., BrdU incorporation) following FCS stimulation.

PERSPECTIVE

Based on the data from our animal experiments, aministration of puromycin directly into the vessel wall during angioplasty may be effective in preventing or reducing restenosis in humans.

DsbA-L: A Promising Therapeutic Target for Metabolic Diseases

The increasing incidence of metabolic diseases, including obesity and diabetes, is a serious social public problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find effective prevention and treatment measures for these diseases. DsbA-L is a protein that is widely expressed in many tissues and is closely related to metabolism. Emerging evidence shows that DsbA-L plays an important role in antioxidative stress, promoting the synthesis and secretion of adiponectin and maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis, and the abnormalities of these functions are also closely related to the occurrence and development of metabolic diseases. Here, we reviewed the tissue expression patterns and regulatory factors of DsbA-L, summarized its biological functions and the current research progress of DsbA-L in metabolic diseases, and found that DsbA-L may be a promising target for metabolic diseases.

Transgelin-2: A potential oncogenic factor

Actin-binding proteins are proteins that could bind to actin or actin fibers. As a member of actin-binding proteins, Transgelin-2 is expressed in smooth muscle cells and non-smooth muscle cells, and its gene, TAGLN2, is differently expressed in all cells and tissues. The deregulation of Transgelin-2 is considered to be correlated with progression of many kinds of diseases, especially the development of malignant tumors, such as invasion, metastasis, and resistance, yet the function and mechanism of action of Transgelin-2 remain elusive. Therefore, we reviewed the basic characteristics and function of Transgelin-2 and its biological role in various types of diseases in order to provide the theoretical basis for further research and new perspectives on cancer development.