Abstract
Phenotype switching of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is a pathological process in various vascular diseases. Canopy FGF signaling regulator 2 (CNPY2) has previously been found to be abnormally expressed in ApoE-/- mice and aortic endothelial cells, indicating it may have an important role in vascular diseases. The present study aimed to determine the role and mechanism of CNPY2 in VSMC phenotype switching. Following stimulation with platelet-derived growth factor type BB (PDGF-BB), the expression of CNPY2 in VSMCs was detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis. Subsequently, to explore the regulatory effects of CNPY2 on VSMCs, CNPY2 expression was knocked down by transfection with short hairpin RNA and cell viability, proliferation, migration and phenotypic transformation indicators were detected. Western blot analysis was also used to detect the phosphorylation of Akt/mTOR/GSK-3β pathway-associated proteins downstream of CNPY2. In addition, pretreatment with the Akt pathway activator SC79 was performed to further explore the regulatory mechanisms of CNPY2. The results revealed that CNPY2 expression was upregulated in PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMCs. In addition, the knockdown of CNPY2 inhibited PDGF-BB-induced VSMC hyperproliferation, cell cycle arrest, migration and phenotypic transformation, as well the activation of Akt/mTOR/GSK-3β pathway-associated proteins. Pretreatment with SC79 significantly reversed the inhibitory effects of CNPY2 knockdown on the proliferation, cell cycle arrest, migration and phenotypic transformation of the model cells. In summary, the present study indicates that CNPY2 regulates the abnormal proliferation, migration and phenotypic transformation of PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMCs via activation of the Akt/mTOR/GSK-3β signaling pathway.