Nicotinate-curcumin inhibits AngII-induced vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype switching by upregulating Daxx expression

Cell Adh Migr. 2021 Dec;15(1):116-125. doi: 10.1080/19336918.2021.1909899.

ABSTRACT

Phenotypic switching is the main cause of the abnormal proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). We previously showed that Daxx exerted negative regulatory effect on AngII-induced VSMC proliferation and migration. However, the function of Daxx in VSMC phenotype switching remained unknown. Nicotinate-curcumin (NC) is an esterification derivative of niacin and curcumin that can prevent the formation of atherosclerosis. We found that NC significantly decreased AngII-induced VSMC phenotype switching. Furthermore, NC significantly inhibited AngII-induced cell proliferation and migration. Moreover, NC upregulated Daxx expression and regulated the PTEN/Akt signaling pathway. We concluded that NC inhibited AngII-induced VSMC phenotype switching by regulating the PTEN/Akt pathway, and through a mechanism that might be associated with the upregulation of Daxx expression.

PMID:33843453 | PMC:PMC8043179 | DOI:10.1080/19336918.2021.1909899