Yi‑Chia Wu, Wei‑Ting Wang, Ming‑Chun Yang, Yu‑Tsun Su, Jwu‑Lai Yeh, Jong‑Hau Hsu, Jiunn‑Ren Wu
Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital and Kaohsiung Medical University. Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital. E-Da Hospital and I-Shou University.
Taiwan
Biological Research
Biol Res 2023;
DOI: 10.1186/s40659-023-00480-z
Abstract
Background: Abnormal remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature, characterized by the proliferation and migration of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) along with dysregulated glycolysis, is a pathognomonic feature of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). YULINK (MIOS, Entrez Gene: 54468), a newly identified gene, has been recently shown to possess pleiotropic physiologic functions. This study aims to determine novel roles of YULINK in the regulation of PAH-related pathogenesis, including PASMC migration, proliferation and glycolysis.
Results: Our results utilized two PAH-related cell models: PASMCs treated with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and PASMCs harvested from monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rats (PAH-PASMCs). YULINK modulation, either by knockdown or overexpression, was found to influence PASMC migration and proliferation in both models. Additionally, YULINK was implicated in glycolytic processes, impacting glucose uptake, glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression, hexokinase II (HK-2) expression, and pyruvate production in PASMCs. Notably, YULINK and GLUT1 were observed to colocalize on PASMC membranes under PAH-related pathogenic conditions. Indeed, increased YULINK expression was also detected in the pulmonary artery of human PAH specimen. Furthermore, YULINK inhibition led to the suppression of platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) and the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and protein kinase B (AKT) in both cell models. These findings suggest that the effects of YULINK are potentially mediated through the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway.
Conclusions: Our findings indicate that YULINK appears to play a crucial role in the migration, proliferation, and glycolysis in PASMCs and therefore positioning it as a novel promising therapeutic target for PAH.
Category
Vascular Cell Biology and Mechanisms of Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Animal Models of Pulmonary Vascular Disease and Therapy
Genetic Factors Associated with Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Age Focus: No Age-Related Focus
Fresh or Filed Publication: Filed (PHiled). Greater than 1-2 years since publication
Article Access
Free PDF File or Full Text Article Available Through PubMed or DOI: Yes