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Taurine restores Axl/Gas6 expression in vascular smooth muscle cell calcification model

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Abstract

Our previous studies demonstrated that taurine inhibits osteoblastic differentiation of vascular smooth muscular cells (VSMCs) via the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) signaling pathway, but the underlying mechanism is not elucidated. The tyrosine kinase receptor Axl and its ligand growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) are expressed in VSMCs. Axl/Gas6 signaling system is known to inhibit VSMCs calcification. We herein showed that taurine partially restored Axl and Gas6 expression in β-glycerophosphate (β-GP)-induced VSMC calcification model. Taurine also induced activation of ERK, but not other two MAPKs including c-jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) and p38 in VSMCs. Either knockdown of the taurine transporter (TAUT) or treatment with the ERK-specific inhibitor PD98059 blocked the activation of ERK by taurine and abolished taurine-induced Axl/Gas6 expression and calcium deposition reduction in β-GP-induced VSMC calcification model. These results demonstrate for the first time that taurine stimulates expression of Axl and Gas6 via TAUT/ERK signaling pathway in β-GP-induced VSMC calcification model.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the China National Natural Scientific Foundation (30600661, 30801174, 30871191, 30872708 and 30900622), the Scientific Research Foundation of Health Bureau of Hunan Province (B2007058), the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (05C0163), and the Post-doctorate Scientific Research Special-purpose Project of Hunan Province (2008RS4012).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, 410011, Changsha, Hunan, China

    Xiao-Bo Liao, Xin-Min Zhou, Li-Ming Liu, Feng-Lin Song, Jian-Ming Li & Kang Zhou

  2. Institute of Metabolism and Endocrinology, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, 410011, Changsha, Hunan, China

    Yi-Qun Peng, Ji-Cai Meng, Ling-Qing Yuan & Hui Xie

  3. Department of Ultrasonic Diagnostics, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 410011, Changsha, Hunan, China

    Bing Yang

  4. Research Center for Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute and Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100037, Beijing, China

    Zhe Zheng

Authors
  1. Xiao-Bo Liao
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  2. Yi-Qun Peng
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  3. Xin-Min Zhou
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  4. Bing Yang
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  5. Zhe Zheng
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  6. Li-Ming Liu
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  7. Feng-Lin Song
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  8. Jian-Ming Li
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  9. Kang Zhou
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  10. Ji-Cai Meng
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  11. Ling-Qing Yuan
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  12. Hui Xie
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hui Xie.

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X.-B. Liao and Y.-Q. Peng contributed equally to this work.

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Liao, XB., Peng, YQ., Zhou, XM. et al. Taurine restores Axl/Gas6 expression in vascular smooth muscle cell calcification model. Amino Acids 39, 375–383 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-009-0448-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-009-0448-z

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