Int J Med Sci 2021; 18(16):3759-3767. doi:10.7150/ijms.55406 This issue Cite
Research Paper
1. Department of Neurosurgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang, China.
2. Department of Cardiology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang, China.
Background: YKL-40, a secreted glycoprotein, has a role in promoting tumor angiogenesis through syndecan-1 receptor. Syndecan-4 is a member of syndecan family. However, the effects of YKL-40 on migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein cells (HUVECs) mediated by syndecan-4 receptor are unknown.
Materials and methods: HUVECs were transfected with lentivirus encoding syndecan-4 short hairpin (sh) RNAs (lenti-synd4 shRNAs) and the efficiency of transfection was measured using qRT-PCR and western blotting. The effects of recombinant protein of YKL-40 on migration and angiogenesis of HUVECs adjusted by syndecan-4 were determined by wound healing and tube formation assay. The expressions of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) and extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERKs) 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in HUVECs were measured using western blotting.
Results: The mRNA and protein expression of syndecan-4 were significantly decreased in HUVECs successfully transfected with lenti-synd4 shRNAs. Lenti-synd4 shRNAs remarkably inhibited the migration and tube formation of HUVECs stimulated by recombinant protein of YKL-40. The levels of PKCα and ratio of p-ERK1/2 to ERK1/2 in HUVECs were also decreased by down-regulating syndecan-4.
Conclusion: The effects of YKL-40 on migration and tube formation of HUVECs are partly inhibited by knock-downing syndecan-4 through suppressing PKCα and ERK1/2 signaling pathways.
Keywords: Migration, Signaling pathways, Syndecan-4, Tube formation, YKL-40