YY1 directly interacts with myocardin to repress the triad myocardin/SRF/CArG box-mediated smooth muscle gene transcription during smooth muscle phenotypic modulation.

ABSTRACT: Yin Yang 1 (YY1) regulates gene transcription in a variety of biological processes. In this study, we aim to determine the role of YY1 in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypic modulation both in vivo and in vitro. Here we show that vascular injury in rodent carotid arteries induces YY1 expression along with reduced expression of smooth muscle differentiation markers in the carotids. Consistent with this finding, YY1 expression is induced in differentiated VSMCs in response to serum stimulation. To determine the underlying molecular mechanisms, we found that YY1 suppresses the transcription of CArG box-dependent SMC-specific genes including SM22α, SMα-actin and SMMHC. Interestingly, YY1 suppresses the transcriptional activity of the SM22α promoter by hindering the binding of serum r

SUBMITTER: Zheng JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7732823 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature