Reactive Oxygen Species: Modulators of Phenotypic Switch of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 21; no. 22; p. 8764
• Main Authors: Badran, Adnan, Nasser, Suzanne A, Mesmar, Joelle, El-Yazbi, Ahmed F, Bitto, Alessandra, Fardoun, Manal M, Baydoun, Elias, Eid, Ali H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 20-11-2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Angioplasty; Angiotensin II - genetics; Angiotensin II - metabolism; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis - drug therapy; Atherosclerosis - genetics; Atherosclerosis - metabolism; Atherosclerosis - pathology; Biomarkers - metabolism; Cardiovascular Agents - therapeutic use; cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Cell cycle; Cell Cycle Proteins - genetics; Cell Cycle Proteins - metabolism; Cell growth; Cell Movement - drug effects; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Fibroblast Growth Factors - genetics; Fibroblast Growth Factors - metabolism; Fibroblasts; Gene Expression Regulation; Genotype & phenotype; Graft Occlusion, Vascular - drug therapy; Graft Occlusion, Vascular - genetics; Graft Occlusion, Vascular - metabolism; Graft Occlusion, Vascular - pathology; Hormones; Humans; Hydrogen peroxide; Hypertension; Hypertension - drug therapy; Hypertension - genetics; Hypertension - metabolism; Hypertension - pathology; Insulin-like growth factors; Kinases; Molecular modelling; Muscle contraction; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - drug effects; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - metabolism; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - pathology; Muscles; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle - drug effects; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle - metabolism; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle - pathology; NADPH Oxidases - genetics; NADPH Oxidases - metabolism; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Oxygen metabolism; Phenotype; Phenotypes; phenotypic switch; Polymerization; Proteins; reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - antagonists & inhibitors; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Restenosis; Review; Signal Transduction; Smooth muscle; vascular smooth muscle cell; cardiovascular disease; vascular smooth muscle cell; reactive oxygen species; phenotypic switch
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228764

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are natural byproducts of oxygen metabolism in the cell. At physiological levels, they play a vital role in cell signaling. However, high ROS levels cause oxidative stress, which is implicated in cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, and restenosis after angioplasty. Despite the great amount of research conducted to identify the role of ROS in CVD, the image is still far from being complete. A common event in CVD pathophysiology is the switch of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype. Interestingly, oxidative stress is a major contributor to this phenotypic switch. In this review, we focus on the effect of ROS on the hallmarks of VSMC phenotypic switch, particularly proliferation and migration. In addition, we speculate on the underlying molecular mechanisms of these cellular events. Along these lines, the impact of ROS on the expression of contractile markers of VSMCs is discussed in depth. We conclude by commenting on the efficiency of antioxidants as CVD therapies.