Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0004153 (atherosclerosis)
 77,401 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Hyaluronan (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan found in greatest amounts in the extra-cellular matrix of loose connective tissue. HA has been shown to be closely involved in arterial smooth muscle cell (ASMC) proliferation and migration. No studies have examined the degradation of HA in the vessel wall during proliferation of ASMC. The aim of our study was to determine whether HA degradation was modulated in the injured rat aorta with a catheter balloon. To evaluate HA degradation we quantified the activity of the enzyme which degrades HA (hyaluronidase) and determined HA molecular mass in the aorta. Aorta was analyzed in sham operated aorta (D0) and 14 (D14) days after injury. Intima-media wet weight and DNA content, a parameters reflecting ASMC response to injury, were significantly increased at D14 (+35.5 and +40.8%). HA increased at D14 (+87%) and was mainly expressed in the neointima. Hyaluronidase activity also increased in the aorta at D14 (+25.5%). In the normal aorta, HA was mainly present in a high molecular mass form (2000 kDa). Two low molecular mass HA were also detected (29 and <20 kDa). At D14, the form of 2000 kDa was dramatically increased in comparison to that in normal aorta. In addition, the injured aorta contained a large number of low molecular mass form of HA. To know whether hyaluronidase production in the injured aorta was associated with appearance of new isoforms, we determined the molecular mass of this enzyme. Only one form of hyaluronidase (78 kDa) was present in both groups (D0 and D14). In conclusion, the proliferative response of ASMC to injury in the rat was found to be associated with increased HA degradation.
Atherosclerosis 2001 Aug
PMID:The fibroproliferative response of arterial smooth muscle cells to balloon catheter injury is associated with increased hyaluronidase production and hyaluronan degradation. 1147 28

The intracellular signaling events by which NADPH oxidase-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) modulate vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) function and atherogenesis are yet to be entirely elucidated. We previously demonstrated that NADPH oxidase deficiency decreased atherosclerosis in apoE(-/-) mice and identified adhesion protein CD44 as an important ROS-sensitive gene expressed in VSMC and atherosclerotic lesions. Here, we examined the molecular mechanisms by which NADPH oxidase-generated ROS regulate the expression of CD44 and its principal ligand, hyaluronan (HA), and how CD44-HA interaction affects VSMC proliferation and migration and inflammatory gene expression in apoE(-/-) mice aortas. Thrombin-induced CD44 expression is mediated by transcription factor AP-1 in a NADPH oxidase-dependent manner. NADPH oxidase-mediated ROS generation enhanced thrombin-induced HA synthesis, and hyaluronan synthase 2 expression in VSMC. Hyaluronidase, which generates low molecular weight HA (LMW-HA), is induced in VSMC in a NADPH oxidase-dependent manner and LMW-HA stimulated ROS generation and cell proliferation in wild-type but not p47(phox-/-) VSMC, effects that were enhanced by thrombin pretreatment. Haptotactic VSMC migration toward HA was increased by thrombin in a CD44-dependent manner. HA expression in atherosclerotic lesions and plasma-soluble CD44 and HA levels were higher in apoE(-/-) compared with apoE(-/-)/p47(phox-/-) mice. HA-regulated pro-inflammatory gene expression was higher in apoE(-/-) than apoE(-/-)/p47(phox-/-) mouse aortas. GKT136901, a specific inhibitor of Nox1- and Nox4-containing NADPH oxidase activity, attenuated ROS generation and atherosclerosis and decreased CD44 and HA expression in atherosclerotic lesions. Together, these data suggest that increased CD44 and HA expression and CD44-HA-dependent gene regulation may play a role in atherosclerosis stimulated by NADPH oxidase activation.
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PMID:NADPH oxidases regulate CD44 and hyaluronic acid expression in thrombin-treated vascular smooth muscle cells and in atherosclerosis. 2055 27

Hyaluronan (HA) is a ubiquitous glycosaminoglycan of the extracellular matrix. It is present in the endothelial glycocalyx covering the apical surface of endothelial cells. The endothelial glycocalyx regulates blood vessel permeability and homeostasis. HA plays a central role in numerous functions of the endothelial surface layer, protecting the endothelial cells, regulating the barrier permeability, and ensuring mechanosensing, which is essential to nitric oxide production and flow-induced vasodilation. During acute injury, inflammatory conditions, or many other pathologic conditions, the endothelial glycocalyx is damaged, and its degradation is accompanied by shedding of one or more glycocalyx components into the blood. Syndecan-1, heparan sulfate, and HA are the main components whose shedding has been claimed to represent the endothelial glycocalyx state of health. This review focuses on endothelial glycocalyx HA and highlights its key roles in the functions of the endothelial glycocalyx, its shedding in several pathologic conditions such as sepsis, diabetes, chronic and acute kidney injury, ischemia/reperfusion, atherosclerosis, and inflammation, which are all accompanied by increased circulating HA levels. Plasma/serum HA level is becoming recognized as a biomarker of endothelial glycocalyx damage in select pathologies. Hyaluronidase, the main HA-degrading enzyme, and its involvement in the impairment of endothelial glycocalyx are also addressed.
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PMID:Endothelial Glycocalyx Impairment in Disease: Focus on Hyaluronan Shedding. 3203 85