Abstract
This review concerns the influence of leptin on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). VSMC express different isoforms of the leptin receptor (Ob-R) able to activate a wide range of intracellular signalling pathways, mediating many relevant biological actions. In particular, leptin promotes processes deeply involved in atherogenesis, such as VSMC migration, hypertrophy, proliferation, osteogenic differentiation and metalloproteinase expression. The intracellular signalling molecules involved are JAK/STAT, PI3K/Akt, ERK 1/2, p38 MAPK, mTOR, and RhoA/ROCK. Some of these leptin actions are particularly evident in stretching conditions; others are mediated by the NAD(P)H-induced increase of Reactive Oxygen Species. A leptin-induced activation of angiotensin and endothelin systems, with up-regulation of the synthesis of the two hormones and of their receptors, has also been demonstrated. Other studies, however, showed that leptin increases in VSMC the nitric oxide production by activating the inducible nitric oxide synthase, and, via nitric oxide, exerts a vasodilating effect and impairs the proliferative and vasoconstricting actions of angiotensin II. Both the potentially harmful and the potentially beneficial effects exerted by leptin in VSMC are lost in VSMC from animal models of genetically determined leptinresistance. Cultured VSMC from leptin-resistant animals are also resistant to insulin and to nitric oxide. It is not known, however, whether in human obesity, a condition characterized by hypothalamic leptin resistance and by compensatory hyperleptinemia, VSMC are sensitive or resistant to leptin: only in the first case the predictive role of circulating leptin on cardiovascular events could support a pathogenetic influence of the hormone on atherosclerosis.
Keywords: Leptin, leptin resistance, vascular smooth muscle cells, obesity, restenosis, vascular calcification, atherosclerosis, nitric oxide, insulin resistance.
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title:Leptin and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
Volume: 20 Issue: 4
Author(s): Mariella Trovati, Gabriella Doronzo, Cristina Barale, Claudia Vaccheris, Isabella Russo and Franco Cavalot
Affiliation:
Keywords: Leptin, leptin resistance, vascular smooth muscle cells, obesity, restenosis, vascular calcification, atherosclerosis, nitric oxide, insulin resistance.
Abstract: This review concerns the influence of leptin on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). VSMC express different isoforms of the leptin receptor (Ob-R) able to activate a wide range of intracellular signalling pathways, mediating many relevant biological actions. In particular, leptin promotes processes deeply involved in atherogenesis, such as VSMC migration, hypertrophy, proliferation, osteogenic differentiation and metalloproteinase expression. The intracellular signalling molecules involved are JAK/STAT, PI3K/Akt, ERK 1/2, p38 MAPK, mTOR, and RhoA/ROCK. Some of these leptin actions are particularly evident in stretching conditions; others are mediated by the NAD(P)H-induced increase of Reactive Oxygen Species. A leptin-induced activation of angiotensin and endothelin systems, with up-regulation of the synthesis of the two hormones and of their receptors, has also been demonstrated. Other studies, however, showed that leptin increases in VSMC the nitric oxide production by activating the inducible nitric oxide synthase, and, via nitric oxide, exerts a vasodilating effect and impairs the proliferative and vasoconstricting actions of angiotensin II. Both the potentially harmful and the potentially beneficial effects exerted by leptin in VSMC are lost in VSMC from animal models of genetically determined leptinresistance. Cultured VSMC from leptin-resistant animals are also resistant to insulin and to nitric oxide. It is not known, however, whether in human obesity, a condition characterized by hypothalamic leptin resistance and by compensatory hyperleptinemia, VSMC are sensitive or resistant to leptin: only in the first case the predictive role of circulating leptin on cardiovascular events could support a pathogenetic influence of the hormone on atherosclerosis.
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Cite this article as:
Trovati Mariella, Doronzo Gabriella, Barale Cristina, Vaccheris Claudia, Russo Isabella and Cavalot Franco, Leptin and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2014; 20 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/13816128113199990022
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/13816128113199990022 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
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