Osteoblast-like differentiation of cultured human coronary artery smooth muscle cells by bone morphogenetic protein endothelial cell precursor-derived regulator (BMPER).

ABSTRACT: Differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) into osteoblast-like cells is considered to be a mechanism of vascular calcification. However, regulators of osteoblast-like differentiation of vascular SMCs are not fully elucidated. Here, we investigated the expression of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-binding endothelial cell precursor-derived regulator (BMPER), a vertebrate homologue of Drosophila crossveinless-2, in vascular SMCs and the role and mode of action of BMPER in osteoblast-like differentiation of human coronary artery SMCs (HCASMCs). BMPER was expressed in cultured human vascular SMCs, including HCASMCs. Silencing of endogenous BMPER expression by an RNA interference technique inhibited osteoblast-like differentiation of HCASMCs, as evaluated by up-regulation of osteo

SUBMITTER: Satomi-Kobayashi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3436285 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature