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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: OBJECTIVE, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Animals, Calcium-Binding Proteins, Caveolin 1, Cells, Cultured, Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases, Male, Mesenteric Arteries, Microfilament Proteins, Muscle, Smooth, Vascular, Myocytes, Smooth Muscle, Phosphorylation, Rats, Rats, Wistar, Reactive Oxygen Species, Signal Transduction, Up-Regulation.
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Is phenotypic modulation of mesenteric vascular smooth muscle cells from type 2 diabetic rats associated with decreased caveolin-1 expression? Context: Diabetes-induced vascular complications are associated with vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypic modulation, switching from a contractile to a synthetic-proliferative phenotype. Loss of caveolin-1 is involved with proliferation of VSMCs. We tested the hypothesis that mesenteric VSMCs from type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat undergo phenotypic modulation and it is linked to decreased caveolin-1 expression. VSMCs were isolated from mesenteric arteries from GK rats and age-matched control Wistar rats. Western blotting was used to determine expression of target proteins such as caveolin-1, calponin (marker of differentiation), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA, marker of proliferation). In addition, we measured intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production using H2DCF-DA and activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) by western blotting in VSMCs from GK stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an endotoxin upregulated in diabetes. Mesenteric VSMCs from diabetic GK rats exhibited decreased caveolin-1 and calponin expression and increased PCNA expression compared to control. Increased levels of ROS and phospho-ERK1/2 expression were also found in GK VSMCs. LPS augmented ROS and phosphorylated ERK1/2 levels to a greater extent in GK VSMCs than in control. Likewise, high glucose decreased caveolin-1 and calponin expression, increased PCNA expression and augmented ROS production in control mesenteric VSMCs.
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These results suggest that mesenteric VSMCs from diabetic GK rats undergo phenotypic modulation and it is associated with decreased caveolin-1 expression. These alterations may be due to enhanced inflammatory stimuli and glucose levels present in diabetic milieu. Final Decision: yes