Mechanical stretch leads to increased caveolin-1 content and mineralization potential in extracellular vesicles from vascular smooth muscle cells.

March 14, 2024
Shaver, M., Gomez, K., Kaiser, K. et al. Mechanical stretch leads to increased caveolin-1 content and mineralization potential in extracellular vesicles from vascular smooth muscle cells. BMC Mol and Cell Biol 25, 8 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12860-024-00504-w
Year:
2024
Tissue Type:
Smooth Muscle Cells
Cell Type:
Organ Type:
Vascular
System Type:
Tension
12 min read

Absract

Hypertension-induced mechanical stress on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is a known risk factor for vascular remodeling, including vascular calcification. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), an integral structural component of plasma membrane invaginations, is a mechanosensitive protein that is required for the formation of calcifying extracellular vesicles (EVs). However, the role of mechanics in Cav-1-induced EV formation from VSMCs has not been reported. Exposure of VSMCs to 10% mechanical stretch (0.5 Hz) for 72 h resulted in Cav-1 translocation into non-caveolar regions of the plasma membrane and subsequent redistribution of Cav-1 from the VSMCs into EVs. Inhibition of Rho-A kinase (ROCK) in mechanically-stimulated VSMCs exacerbated the liberation of Cav-1 positive EVs from the cells, suggesting a potential involvement of actin stress fibers in this process. Our data demonstrate that mechanical stretch alters Cav-1 trafficking and EV release, and the released EVs have elevated mineralization potential.

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