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Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 278: H1823-H1831, 2000;
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Vol. 278, Issue 6, H1823-H1831, June 2000

Essential roles of Ikappa B kinases alpha  and beta  in serum- and IL-1-induced human VSMC proliferation

Sebastian Sasu and Debbie Beasley

Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine and Tupper Research Institute, New England Medical Center Hospitals, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111


    ABSTRACT
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a potent vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) mitogen, which can stimulate cells via activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) following phosphorylation of its inhibitory subunit (Ikappa B). Because the proliferative effect of IL-1 is additive with that of serum, the present studies assessed the role of Ikappa B kinases (IKKs) and NF-kappa B in both IL-1- and serum-induced VSMC proliferation. IL-1beta (1 ng/ml) induced marked and persistent NF-kappa B activation in VSMC that was maximal at 1 h and persisted for 3 days. There was a 3-fold increase in DNA synthesis after acute IL-1 exposure (24-96 h) and a 12-fold increase after chronic IL-1 exposure (>7 days). Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and supershift analysis indicated that IL-1-induced NF-kappa B complexes consisted of p65/p50 heterodimers and p50 homodimers. Human saphenous vein smooth muscle cells (HSVSMC) were transiently cotransfected with expression plasmids encoding a dominant negative mutant form of either IKKalpha or IKKbeta , in which K44 was mutated to A (K44A), and a green fluorescent protein expression plasmid that allows identification of transfected cells. IL-1 induced nuclear localization of p65 in 95% of cells transfected with vector alone but in only 69% and 26% of cells expressing IKKalpha (K44A) or IKKbeta (K44A), respectively. Likewise, proliferation increased 3.2-fold in IL-1-treated HSVSMC which had been transfected with vector alone, but only 2.2- and 1.5-fold proliferation in HSVSMC expressing IKKalpha (K44A) or IKKbeta (K44A), respectively. Although serum activated NF-kappa B transiently, serum-induced proliferation was markedly attenuated in HSVSMC expressing IKKalpha (K44A) and IKKbeta (K44A) compared with HSVSMC transfected with vector alone. The results support an essential role of IKKs in the proliferative response of HSVSMC to IL-1 and to serum.

nuclear factor-kappa B; dominant negative mutant; cell transfection; interleukin-1; vascular smooth muscle cells


    INTRODUCTION
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

INAPPROPRIATE PROLIFERATION of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) is a common pathogenetic feature of vascular diseases, including primary atherosclerosis, postangioplasty restenosis, and vein graft disease. Numerous studies (15, 25, 27, 28) have documented the importance of 42- and 44-kDa mitogen-activated protein kinases (p42/p44 MAPK) in linking receptor activation by classic growth factors, such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and thrombin, to VSMC proliferation. The proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) also induces VSMC proliferation. However, in contrast to classic growth factors, IL-1 does not activate p42/p44 MAPK, and the mechanisms of its proliferative actions are unknown.

The IL-1 signaling pathway that has been the most extensively characterized to date culminates in the activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) family of transcription factors (3). NF-kappa B consists of dimers of the Rel family of proteins (including p50, p52, p65, c-Rel, and RelB) and is found in the cytosol of cells bound to specific inhibitors or Ikappa Bs. The binding of IL-1 to the type I IL-1 receptor results in the activation of NF-kappa B-inducing kinase (NIK) (24). NIK in turn associates with the Ikappa B kinase (IKK) complex, which contains two kinase subunits, IKKalpha and IKKbeta . IKK-induced phosphorylation of Ikappa Balpha triggers its subsequent polyubiquitination and degradation, and the loss of Ikappa Bs is thought to be responsible for the initial rapid nuclear localization of NF-kappa B and transcriptional activation (17).

Activation of NF-kappa B has been previously linked to the process of VSMC proliferation in vitro and in vivo. NF-kappa B is present in VSMC nuclei in the fibrotic-thickened areas of human atherosclerotic lesions but is not found in VSMC nuclei in normal blood vessels (8). Balloon injury of rat carotid artery also results in rapid and transient activation of NF-kappa B in medial smooth muscle cells (SMC) (11). Direct experimental assessment of the role of NF-kappa B in SMC proliferation has been difficult because of the lack of a specific cell-permeable NF-kappa B inhibitor. Antioxidants, including N-acetyl-L-cysteine and pentoxifylline, inhibit serum- and thrombin-induced NF-kappa B activation and proliferation in bovine SMC (6, 9) but may also inhibit other signaling pathways. Single-cell microinjection of either Ikappa Balpha or double-stranded decoy oligonucleotides, which bind NF-kappa B and thereby retain it in an inactive state in the cytosol (6), inhibited serum-induced proliferation of bovine VSMC. Also, antisense oligonucleotides, which inhibit p65 synthesis, attenuate thrombin-induced proliferation of human VSMC (29) and neointima formation following balloon angioplasty in rats (2). Together these studies provide evidence that NF-kappa B is an important component of mitogenic signaling by thrombin and serum in bovine SMC. The present studies used the method of transient expression of dominant negative kinases to specifically assess the role of upstream IKKs in the mitogenic responses of human VSMC to IL-1 and to serum.


    METHODS
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Culture of smooth muscle cells derived from human saphenous vein. Primary cultures of smooth muscle cells derived from human saphenous vein (HSVSMC) were obtained by explant technique from saphenous veins harvested for coronary artery bypass surgery at New England Medical Center. Cells were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% FCS, glutamine, penicillin, streptomycin, and Fungizone (growth medium); and the medium was changed twice a week. Chronic IL-1-stimulated cells were cultured as above, except the growth medium was also supplemented with IL-1beta (1 ng/ml) for at least 7 days before the experiment. After reaching confluence, HSVSMC were passaged with trypsin (0.05%) and EDTA (0.53 mM) and then plated for experiments at a density of 15,000 cells/cm2.

Nuclear extract preparation and electrophoretic mobility shift assay analysis. Nuclear extracts were prepared from HSVSMC by standard methods (12). Briefly, cells were lysed for 15 min on ice in buffer containing 10 mM HEPES (pH 7.4), 1.5 mM MgCl2, 10 mM KCl, and 0.5 mM dithiothreitol (DTT), supplemented with protease inhibitors (Complete, Boehringer Mannheim), 1 mM NaF, and 1 mM sodium orthovanadate. NP-40 was added to a final concentration of 0.5%, and nuclei were pelleted by centrifugation (16,000 g for 30 s). The crude nuclear pellets were lysed on ice for 30 min in buffer containing 20 mM HEPES (pH 7.4), 0.4 M NaCl, 1 mM EDTA, 1 mM EGTA, 20% glycerol, and 0.5 mM DTT, supplemented with protease and phosphatase inhibitors, and were then cleared by centrifugation and stored in aliquots at -70°C.

Single-stranded, HPLC-purified oligonucleotides containing either the murine immunoglobulin kappa -light chain enhancer kappa B site (Igkappa -kappa B; 5'-cgcTTAGA<UNL>GGGGACTTTCC</UNL>GAGAG) or the proximal human intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (hICAM-1) promoter kappa B-like site (5'-gcgTTAGCTTGGAAATTCCGGAGC) were obtained from Genosys. Complementary single-stranded oligonucleotides were annealed, and double-stranded oligonucleotides containing CGC and GCG 5' protruding ends were labeled with [alpha -32P]dCTP and [alpha -32P]dGTP using the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I. Binding reactions were performed using standard protocols (35). Nuclear proteins (5 µg) were preincubated (15 min, 4°C) with or without competitor oligonucleotides in buffer containing 25 mM HEPES (pH 7.6), 40 mM KCl, 5 mM MgCl2, 1 mM DTT, 3 µg of double-stranded poly(dI-dC), and 8% Ficoll. For supershift assays, reactions were preincubated for 45 min with antisera specific for members of the Rel family. Radiolabeled double-stranded oligonucleotides (105 counts/min) were then added, and reactions were incubated for 30 min at 4°C. Oligonucleotide-protein complexes were resolved on a 4% polyacrylamide gel in buffer containing 6.7 mM Tris, 3.3 mM sodium acetate, and 1 mM EDTA (pH 7.9). The gel was dried and exposed to X-ray film at -70 °C.

Bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. HSVSMC were plated (5,000 cells/well) into 96-well plates in growth medium with or without IL-1beta . After 72 h, the medium was replaced with DMEM supplemented with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), 0.5% FCS, insulin (1 µM), and transferrin (5 µg/ml), with or without IL-1beta . After 24 h, the cells were fixed and incubated sequentially with a monoclonal BrdU antibody conjugated with peroxidase, and with tetramethylbenzidine as substrate. BrdU incorporation was measured as the absorbance of the converted substrate at 405 nm.

Assay of NF-kappa B activation and proliferation in transfected HSVSMC. HSVSMC (~2 × 106 cells) were cotransfected with 20 µg of pGreenLantern-1 (GIBCO), encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a marker of transfected cells, and 40 µg of pRK5, containing either no insert or cDNA encoding a kinase-inactive form of IKKalpha or IKKbeta in which K44 was mutated to A (K44A). In other studies, HSVSMC were transfected concurrently with IKKalpha (K44A) and IKKbeta (K44A) expression plasmids. Cells were transfected by electroporation at 230 V and 960 µF, plated on glass coverslips, incubated for 6 h in growth medium containing 5 mM sodium butyrate (37), washed, and then grown in growth medium overnight. Medium was changed to DMEM supplemented with 1% FCS with or without IL-1beta (2 ng/ml ) 24 h after electroporation.

NF-kappa B activation in GFP-positive cells was analyzed 30 min after stimulation with IL-1 by assessing the localization of p65 by immunostaining. Cells were washed in PBS, fixed in 3.7% formaldehyde, and permeabilized in 0.2% Triton X-100/PBS. Nonspecific binding sites were blocked with 10% normal horse serum, and the cells were incubated sequentially with polyclonal rabbit anti-p65 and Texas Red-coupled donkey anti-rabbit IgG. Cells were then observed through a Nikon Diaphot microscope equipped with epifluorescence. Localization of p65 was evaluated in 100 transfected cells per treatment group.

Proliferation in GFP-positive cells was determined by immunostaining for the proliferation-associated Ki-67 antigen. Fresh medium with or without IL-1beta was added 48 h after stimulation with IL-1, and cells were fixed 96 h after initial IL-1 exposure. Immunostaining was performed as described above, except the cells were permeabilized with 0.2% Tween 20-PBS, the primary antibody was mouse monoclonal MIB-1 antibody (Immunotech), and the secondary antibody was Texas Red-coupled donkey anti-mouse IgG. The presence of nuclear or nucleolar Ki-67 staining was assessed in 100 transfected cells per treatment group.


    RESULTS
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Time course of IL-1-induced HSVSMC proliferation. The mitogenic effect of IL-1 is distinct in that initial exposure to IL-1 can induce growth-inhibitory pathways under some experimental conditions (18, 22). In contrast, exposure to IL-1 for >3 days is a consistently effective mitogenic stimulus for human VSMC (5, 22). In the present study, proliferation, assessed as the rate of incorporation of BrdU, was unchanged during the first 24 h of IL-1beta exposure but increased subsequently between 24 and 96 h (Fig. 1). There was an approximately threefold increase in maximal stimulation of DNA synthesis that occurred 48-72 h after initial exposure to IL-1beta . BrdU incorporation increased almost 12-fold in HSVSMC cultured chronically in medium supplemented with IL-1beta . The high rate of DNA synthesis in HSVSMC that were cultured continuously in IL-1beta -supplemented medium was only minimally attenuated when IL-1beta was excluded from the growth medium for 72 h before the BrdU incorporation assay. Thus IL-1 induces proliferation of HSVSMC by a mechanism that requires a delay of >24 h. Chronic exposure to IL-1 enhances proliferation more than acute exposure, and the high proliferative rate of chronically treated cells persists for >72 h following removal of IL-1.


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Fig. 1.   Exposure to interleukin-1 (IL-1) induces a delayed increase in proliferation. Smooth muscle cells derived from human saphenous vein (HSVSMC) were incubated in DMEM supplemented with 10% FCS with or without IL-1beta (1 ng/ml). Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation was measured over a 24-h period after 0-, 24-, 48-, or 72-h exposure to IL-1 (acute) or after chronic culture in medium supplemented with IL-1beta . Omission of IL-1beta from the medium of chronic IL-1 cells for 72 h did not attenuate BrdU incorporation. Values are means ± SE. A405, absorbance at 405 nm. *P < 0.001, compared with no IL-1 (n = 6 experiments).

HSVSMC express p65/p50 heterodimers and p50 homodimers. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) analysis was performed with a classic kappa B probe (Igkappa -kappa B) that contained the kappa B motif found in the murine Igkappa light chain enhancer. Nuclear proteins prepared from human VSMC that had been treated chronically with IL-1 bound specifically to the classic kappa B probe, forming complexes I and II, which migrate as two distinct bands (Fig. 2A). Specificity of the DNA binding complexes was demonstrated by the ability of a 100-fold excess of nonlabeled kappa B oligonucleotides to completely abolish both complexes (Fig. 2A). The composition of NF-kappa B complexes formed in different cell types, or in response to different stimuli, can be distinct due to the existence of multiple Rel proteins. The subunit compositions of complex I and II were determined by testing the ability of a panel of antisera directed against different Rel proteins to bind to the complexes and thereby slow their migration through a polyacrylamide gel (Fig. 2C). Incubation with antisera directed against p50 before addition of the radiolabeled probe slowed the migration of both complexes I and II, which appeared as two lower mobility bands. Preincubation with antisera directed against p65 abolished complex I but did not affect the migration of complex II. These results indicate that complex I consists of p65/p50 heterodimers, whereas complex II consists of p50 homodimers. In additional experiments, preincubation with antisera directed against p52, RelB, or c-Rel did not affect the migration of either complex I or complex II (data not shown). Also, Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of increased levels of p65 and p50 in nuclear extracts of HSVSMC that had been treated chronically with IL-1beta . NF-kappa B complexes of similar mobility were obtained when HSVSMC derived from three different patients were exposed to IL-1 for 1 h (Fig. 2D). Together the data indicate that HSVSMC derived from different patients express p65/p50 heterodimers, which are transcriptionally active, and p50 homodimers, which are thought to be transcriptionally inactive (4), after either acute or chronic exposure to IL-1.




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Fig. 2.   IL-1 induces nuclear levels of p65/p50 (complex I) and p50/p50 (complex II) in HSVSMC. Nuclear extracts were prepared from HSVSMC that had been treated chronically with IL-1 (A-C), and were preincubated either 15 min with or without competitor oligonucleotides (A and B) or 45 min with or without polyclonal antisera directed against p50 or p65 (C), and then analyzed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) with a 32P-labeled immunoglobulin kappa -light chain enhancer kappa B site (Igkappa -kappa B) probe. A: Igkappa -kappa B competitor abolished complex formation at 100-fold molar excess. B: human intercellular adhesion molecule 1 kappa B-like competitor (hICAM-kappa B) partially attenuated complex formation at 100- to 500-fold molar excess. C: supershifted (ss) bands in lanes 3 and 4 correspond to antibody (Ab)-protein-DNA complexes. D: similar kappa B-binding complexes are induced by acute IL-1 exposure in HSVSMC derived from 3 different patients. Nuclear extracts were obtained before (-) or 1 h after (+) exposure to IL-1beta (1 ng/ml).

The Igkappa -kappa B probe used binds p65/p50 and p50/p50 readily but may not detect all NF-kappa B complexes. For example, c-Rel/p65 heterodimers and p65 homodimers bind preferentially to the kappa B-like site found in the proximal region of the human ICAM-1 promoter, but they bind poorly to the Igkappa -kappa B sequence (1, 33). To determine whether HSVSMC that have been chronically stimulated with IL-1 produce distinct NF-kappa B complexes, we also performed EMSA analysis with a radiolabeled probe containing the proximal hICAM-1 kappa B-like sequence (1). Two complexes that migrated with the same mobility as complex I and II were observed with the hICAM-1 kappa B probe; however, their intensities were markedly reduced compared with the intensities obtained with the Igkappa -kappa B probe (data not shown). The complex that migrated identically to complex I was displaced with p65-specific antisera. These observations indicate that the hICAM-1 kappa B probe also detects p65/p50 and p50/p50 dimers, but it binds these dimers with lower affinity than does the classic kappa B probe. This conclusion is supported by the fact that a 100- to 500-fold excess of unlabeled hICAM-1 kappa B oligonucleotide attenuated but did not abolish binding of NF-kappa B proteins to the radiolabeled Igkappa -kappa B probe (Fig. 2B). Thus we obtained no evidence that HSVSMC that have been stimulated chronically with IL-1 express other Rel dimers that bind preferentially to hICAM-1 kappa B-like sites.

IL-1 induces persistent activation of NF-kappa B, whereas FCS induces transient activation. Many stimuli activate NF-kappa B transiently, whereas other inducers can cause persistent NF-kappa B activation. Levels of complexes I and II were low but detectable in nuclear extracts prepared from HSVSMC before stimulation with IL-1 (Fig. 3). The levels of both NF-kappa B complexes were markedly increased after 1 h of stimulation with IL-1beta and remained elevated after 72 h. In contrast to the persistent effect of IL-1, exposure to 10% FCS induced transient NF-kappa B activation, which was marked at 1 h but returned to baseline by 2 h (Fig. 4).


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Fig. 3.   Persistent induction of nuclear kappa B-binding complexes in HSVSMC after acute or chronic exposure to IL-1beta . EMSA analysis was performed with nuclear extracts prepared from HSVSMC 72 h after plating in growth medium (with 10% FCS). Lane 1: no bands were observed when cell extract was excluded from reaction. Lanes 2 and 5: faint kappa B complexes were observed with extracts from cells incubated without IL-1. Lanes 6-10: HSVSMC were exposed acutely to IL-1beta for indicated times before nuclear extracts were obtained; complex I persisted in the nucleus 72 h after stimulation with IL-1beta . Lanes 3 and 4: HSVSMC were exposed chronically to growth medium supplemented with IL-1beta (1 ng/ml). Complexes I and II persisted in the nucleus 72 h after addition of fresh IL-1-supplemented growth medium (lane 3) but returned to baseline when cells were depleted of IL-1 for 72 h (lane 4). P, free probe.



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Fig. 4.   FCS induces transient increases in nuclear kappa B-binding complexes. EMSA analysis was performed with nuclear extracts (5 µg of protein) prepared from HSVSMC that had been serum deprived for 48 h (lane 2) and then stimulated with 10% FCS for times indicated (lanes 3-7).

Primary cultures of HSVSMC proliferate slowly when cultured in medium that is supplemented with 10% FCS alone but proliferate rapidly when cultured in medium supplemented with 10% FCS and IL-1 (5). Because acute exposure to IL-1beta induced sustained activation of NF-kappa B, whereas acute exposure to FCS induced transient activation, we compared the persistence of nuclear NF-kappa B levels in HSVSMC that were cultured chronically in medium supplemented with FCS alone versus medium supplemented with FCS and IL-1beta . When HSVSMC were cultured in medium supplemented with 10% FCS alone, nuclear levels of complexes I and II were low but detectable 72 h after the last medium change (Fig. 3). This basal NF-kappa B activation may represent low residual stimulation by serum-derived mitogens or constitutive expression in cultured human VSMC. In contrast, nuclear extracts prepared from HSVSMC that had been cultured chronically in medium supplemented with 10% FCS and IL-1beta (1 ng/ml) contained markedly increased levels of complexes I and II 72 h following the last medium change. Thus culture of HSVSMC in the presence of IL-1beta and 10% FCS produces constant NF-kappa B activation, whereas NF-kappa B activation is not sustained when HSVSMC are cultured in standard growth medium. Nuclear kappa B binding complexes returned to baseline 72 h after removal of IL-1beta from the medium (Fig. 3), in contrast to proliferation, which remained elevated (Fig. 1).

Expression of kinase-inactive IKKs inhibits IL-1-induced NF-kappa B activation and proliferation of HSVSMC. In transient cotransfection experiments, expression of dominant negative mutant forms of IKKalpha or IKKbeta inhibited IL-1-induced NF-kappa B activation in HSVSMC. HSVSMC were cotransfected with a GFP-encoding expression vector (Fig. 5A) and either expression vector alone (pRK5) or expression vector encoding IKKalpha (K44A) or IKKbeta (K44A). NF-kappa B activation in the transfected (GFP-positive) cell population was assessed by immunostaining for p65. p65 was distributed throughout the cytosol of nonstimulated cells and appeared predominately in the nucleus after a 30-min exposure to IL-1beta (Fig. 5A). In three experiments, nuclear p65 was detected in only 1.2% of GFP-positive cells that had been transfected with vector alone and incubated in 1% FCS (Fig. 6A), and this percentage was not significantly affected by transfection with either IKKalpha (K44A) or IKKbeta (K44A) expression plasmids (nuclear p65 was detected in 0.5% and 1.0%, respectively, of GFP-positive cells). After a 30-min exposure to IL-1, p65 localized to the nucleus in nearly all HSVSMC that had been transfected with vector alone (nuclear p65 was detected in 93% of GFP-positive cells). IL-1-induced nuclear localization of p65 was moderately inhibited in HSVSMC expressing IKKalpha (K44A) and markedly inhibited in HSVSMC expressing IKKbeta (K44A) (nuclear p65 was detected in 67% and 25%, respectively, of GFP-positive cells).


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Fig. 5.   Representative p65 and Ki-67 immunostaining. HSVSMC were cotransfected with pGreenLantern-1 and either pRK5 alone or pRK5 encoding inhibitory kappa B kinases IKKalpha (K44A) or IKKbeta (K44A) and then incubated in DMEM supplemented with 1% FCS, with or without IL-1beta (1 ng/ml). After 30 min, p65 localization was assessed in cells expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) (A, top left and bottom left) and was cytoplasmic in HSVSMC incubated without IL-1 (A, top right) and nuclear in HSVSMC incubated with IL-1 (A, bottom right). After 96 h, the presence of nuclear or nucleolar staining for Ki-67 was assessed; representative positive staining for Ki-67 antigen is shown in B. K44A, K44 mutated to A; con, control.



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Fig. 6.   Expression of either IKKalpha (K44A) or IKKbeta (K44A) inhibits IL-1-induced p65 nuclear translocation and proliferation in HSVSMC. HSVSMC were cotransfected as described in Fig. 5. A: percentage of GFP-positive cells expressing nuclear p65 after 30-min incubation with or without IL-1. B: percentage of GFP-positive cells expressing nuclear Ki-67 antigen after 96-h incubation with or without IL-1. Values are means ± SE and were obtained in 3 experiments. In B, percentages were normalized to those obtained with pRK5-transfected HSVSMC incubated without IL-1. *P < 0.01, significantly different from pRK5-transfected, IL-1-treated HSVSMC.

Proliferation of the transfected cell population was assessed by immunostaining for Ki-67 antigen, a marker of cell proliferation that is expressed in the nucleus during all active phases of the cell cycle but not during Go (16). Ki-67 antigen appeared predominantly in the nucleolus of proliferating cells (Fig. 5B). In three experiments, nuclear Ki-67 antigen was detected in only 12 ± 3% of cells that had been transfected with vector alone and incubated in 1% FCS, and this percentage was not affected by expression of either IKKalpha (K44A) or IKKbeta (K44A) (13 ± 4% and 12 ± 3%, respectively, of GFP-positive cells). IL-1 induced a 3.2-fold increase in nuclear Ki-67 antigen expression; Ki-67 antigen was detected in the nuclei of 38 ± 8% of vector-transfected GFP-positive cells that had been incubated with IL-1 for 96 h. IL-1-induced nuclear Ki-67 antigen expression was inhibited by 53% in HSVSMC transfected with IKKalpha (K44A) expression plasmid (25 ± 6% of GFP-positive cells) and inhibited by 75% in HSVSMC transfected with IKKbeta (K44A) expression plasmid (18 ± 6% of GFP-positive cells). Normalized values for Ki-67 staining in GFP-positive cells are shown in Fig. 6B.

As with expression of IKKalpha (K44A) or IKKbeta (K44A) alone, concurrent expression of IKKalpha (K44A) and IKKbeta (K44A) likewise did not attenuate the level of nuclear Ki-67 antigen in HSVSMC incubated in 1% FCS (Fig. 7B). Concurrent expression of IKKalpha (K44A) and IKKbeta (K44A) also did not attenuate IL-1-induced Ki-67 more than expression of IKKbeta (K44A) alone (Fig. 7B vs. Fig. 6B).


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Fig. 7.   Serum-induced proliferation of HSVSMC is attenuated by expression of IKKbeta (K44A) and further attenuated by concurrent expression of IKKalpha (K44A) and IKKbeta (K44A). A: HSVSMC were cotransfected with pGreenLantern-1 and either pRK5 or IKKbeta (K44A) expression plasmids and then incubated in DMEM supplemented with either 1% (control) or 10% FCS. Ki-67 staining values shown were normalized to percentage of transfected cells staining positive for nuclear Ki-67 antigen 96 h after transfection with pRK5 and incubation in 1% FCS. Values are means ± SE and were obtained in 5 experiments. B: HSVSMC were concurrently transfected with IKKalpha (K44A) and IKKbeta (K44A) expression plasmids and incubated in DMEM supplemented with 1% FCS with or without IL-1, or 10% FCS. Values are means ± SE and were obtained in 3 experiments. *P < 0.03, **P < 0.01, significantly different from pRK5-transfected, control HSVSMC; +P < 0.03, significantly different from pRK5-transfected, IL-1-treated HSVSMC.

Expression of kinase-inactive IKKs inhibits serum-induced HSVSMC proliferation. To test whether the inhibitory effect of catalytically inactive IKKs was specific to IL-1-induced proliferation, we performed cotransfection experiments as described above except that HSVSMC were stimulated with 10% FCS following electroporation. In a total of five experiments, serum stimulation induced a 3.2-fold increase in the expression of Ki-67 antigen (Fig. 7A). Among GFP-positive cells transfected with vector alone, nuclear Ki-67 antigen was expressed in 11 ± 2% of cells incubated with 1% FCS, and incubation in 10% FCS increased this percentage to 35 ± 6% of cells. Transfection with IKKbeta (K44A) expression plasmid attenuated FCS-induced Ki-67 antigen expression by 74% (P < 0.03), an effect similar in magnitude to the attenuation of IL-1-induced Ki-67 expression (75%; Fig. 6B). Furthermore, concurrent expression of kinase-inactive IKKalpha and IKKbeta attenuated FCS-induced proliferation to a greater extent than expression of kinase-inactive IKKbeta alone. FCS-induced Ki-67 antigen expression was attenuated by 88% in HSVSMC that were cotransfected with both IKKalpha (K44A) and IKKbeta (K44A) expression plasmids (Fig. 7B; P < 0.01, n = 3 experiments).


    DISCUSSION
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

The present studies provide evidence that Ikappa B kinase activity is crucial to the proliferative responses of human VSMC to IL-1 and to serum. The type I IL-1 receptor is part of a multimeric membrane complex, which recruits TRAF6 (10), a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor family, following IL-1 binding. TRAF6 then activates TAK-1, which in turn associates with and activates NIK (24). NIK phosphorylates and activates two kinases, IKKalpha and IKKbeta , both of which appear essential for the phosphorylation of Ikappa Balpha on serines 32 and 36 (13, 26, 34, 38, 39). This specific phosphorylation of Ikappa Balpha targets it for rapid ubiquitination and degradation, resulting in the prompt liberation and nuclear translocation of NF-kappa B (32). Previous studies (34, 38) have shown that mutation of a single conserved lysine within the kinase domain of either IKKalpha or IKKbeta (K44 mutated to A) yields a catalytically inactive enzyme that acts as a dominant negative inhibitor of IL-1- and TNF-induced NF-kappa B activation when expressed in cells. In the present study, expression of catalytically inactive IKKalpha or IKKbeta in human VSMC inhibited both IL-1-induced NF-kappa B activation and IL-1-induced proliferation. These results establish a crucial role for Ikappa B kinase activity in the mitogenic response of HSVSMC to IL-1.

The present results are consistent with the notion that both IKKalpha and IKKbeta are essential for IL-1-induced phosphorylation and degradation of Ikappa Balpha and subsequent nuclear localization of p65. However, IKKbeta (K44A) was more effective than IKKalpha (K44A) as an inhibitor of both IL-1-induced NF-kappa B activation and proliferation when expressed in HSVSMC. In addition, concurrent expression of IKKalpha (K44A) and IKKbeta (K44A) was not more effective than IKKbeta (K44A) alone. In previous studies, expression of IKKbeta (K44A) has been consistently shown to inhibit NF-kappa B activation, whereas the effectiveness of IKKalpha mutants has been variable. IKKalpha (K44A) was an effective inhibitor of NF-kappa B-dependent transcription in 293 cells, although it was somewhat less effective than IKKbeta (K44A) when equivalent amounts of plasmid DNA were used in the transfection assay (34, 38). In other studies (26, 39), IKKalpha (K44M) was also catalytically inactive, but its expression produced little or no inhibition of TNF-induced nuclear translocation of NF-kappa B in HeLa cells. Similar results have been obtained using targeted gene disruption. IL-1-induced NF-kappa B activation was not attenuated in fibroblasts prepared from mouse embryos that were deficient in IKKalpha (36) but was significantly attenuated in fibroblasts prepared from IKKbeta -deficient mouse embryos (21). However, it is possible that the absence of IKKalpha activity during embryonic development results in a compensatory upregulation of IKKbeta , thereby masking a significant role of IKKalpha that occurs in normal animals. Our results, together with previous reports, suggest that catalytically inactive IKKbeta is a more reliable inhibitor of IL-1-induced NF-kappa B activation.

NF-kappa B binds to DNA as homo- or heterodimers of the Rel-related proteins, including p50, p52, p65, c-Rel, and RelB (4, 23). p65, RelB, and c-Rel are strong transcriptional activators, whereas p50 and p52 are weak transactivators that can form active dimers with p65, RelB, and c-Rel. The existence of multiple Rel family members provides the basis for potential diversity in the specific composition of NF-kappa B complexes produced in response to different inducers, in different cell types, or in the same cell type of different individuals or different species. In the present study, classic NF-kappa B complexes consisting of p50/p65 heterodimers and p50/p50 homodimers were induced in SMC derived from saphenous veins of several different patients, following either acute or chronic stimulation with IL-1. Also, nonclassic NF-kappa B complexes that bind preferentially to an hICAM-1 kappa B-like motif were not induced by either acute or chronic IL-1 stimulation. These results are in agreement with previous studies (7) in which HSVSMC expressed classic NF-kappa B complexes after acute exposure to IL-1. The present studies did not address the possibility that SMC derived from different human vascular beds or from different species express distinct NF-kappa B complexes. It has been suggested (19) that SMC derived from bovine pulmonary artery express a heterodimer of p50 and a novel SMC-specific Rel protein distinct from p65. Diversity of NF-kappa B complexes formed in different VSMC may contribute to differential responses of these cells to inflammatory signals.

Although IL-1 elicits a rapid activation of NF-kappa B in HSVSMC, as occurs in other cell types, the mitogenic effect was delayed. An early effect of IL-1-induced NF-kappa B activation is induction of cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression (5) and the subsequent generation of prostanoids that can inhibit the early mitogenic response to IL-1 (22). Thus production of growth inhibitory prostanoids may inhibit DNA synthesis during the first 24-h exposure to IL-1, but prostanoid synthesis may subside after 24 h (5), allowing the mitogenic effect of IL-1 to be expressed. DNA synthesis then persisted for up to 96 h after exposure to IL-1, as did NF-kappa B activation. Nuclear levels of NF-kappa B were not enhanced during the chronic phase of IL-1 stimulation relative to the acute phase and, thus, could not account for the enhanced proliferative effect of chronic versus acute exposure to IL-1. It is possible that the HSVSMC cultures used in the present study consisted of a mixed population of IL-1-responsive and -nonresponsive cells. In this case, chronic culture in IL-1-supplemented medium may select for IL-1-responsive cells and thereby elicit a greater mitogenic effect than acute exposure to IL-1.

Remarkably, expression of a dominant negative mutant form of IKKbeta markedly attenuated serum-induced proliferation, and concurrent expression of dominant negative mutant IKKalpha attenuated serum-induced proliferation further. These results indicate that the activity of IKKalpha and IKKbeta are also crucial for the mitogenic effect of serum-derived growth factors. These results agree with a previous report (6) that single-cell microinjection of Ikappa Balpha or double-stranded decoy oligonucleotides that bind and inactivate NF-kappa B largely attenuate serum-induced proliferation in bovine VSMC. Also, antisense oligonucleotides that inhibit p65 synthesis attenuate thrombin-induced proliferation of human VSMC (29). However, our studies further identify upstream Ikappa B kinase activity as a crucial component of serum-stimulated VSMC proliferation. It remains to be established whether serum-induced proliferation is dependent on constitutive or serum-inducible IKK activity. The low levels of NF-kappa B expressed in the nucleus of nonstimulated cells may result from constitutive IKK activity. Also, serum-induced NF-kappa B activation in HSVSMC may be mediated by a transient induction of IKK activity. The upstream pathways that are involved in either constitutive or serum-induced Ikappa B kinase activity in human VSMC are also not known. It is possible that serum activates NF-kappa B via a pathway that involves sequential activation of NIK and IKKbeta . NIK is structurally related to MEKK1 (MAPK kinase kinase-1), a kinase of the JNK (c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase) cascade that is activated by the small G proteins Rac and Cdc42 (14). MEKK1 can activate both IKKalpha and IKKbeta (20, 30), presumably through phosphorylation of specific conserved serine residues within the activation loops of the kinases. Thus an alternative possibility is that serum-induced or constitutive NF-kappa B activation involves MEKK1-induced activation of IKKalpha and IKKbeta .

In a previous study, we have shown that the mitogenic effect of IL-1 is synergistic with that of serum. The addition of IL-1beta to the culture medium markedly enhances the proliferative rate of HSVSMC incubated in the presence of high levels of FCS (20%) (5). This finding suggests that IL-1 activates promitogenic signaling pathways that are not optimally stimulated by serum-derived mitogens. The present study documents that IL-1 induces persistent activation of NF-kappa B, whereas serum induces only transient activation. Also, HSVSMC grown in IL-1-supplemented medium have continuously active NF-kappa B, whereas HSVSMC cultured in standard VSMC growth medium undergo only transient activation of NF-kappa B with each medium change. Persistent activation of NF-kappa B may account for the ability of both acute and chronic exposure to IL-1 to enhance serum-induced proliferation of human VSMC. These results are consistent with the previous observation that growth factors, including serum, PDGF, bFGF, EGF, and thrombin, activate NF-kappa B in rat aortic SMC and that the more potent growth factors elicit a stronger NF-kappa B response (31). Together these studies suggest that the magnitude and persistence of NF-kappa B activation is rate limiting for VSMC proliferation. However, given the important role of p42/p44 and other MAPK pathways in VSMC proliferation, it is likely that NF-kappa B is a necessary but insufficient stimulus to VSMC proliferation, as previously suggested (9).

In conclusion, the present studies provide evidence that the proliferative response of human VSMC to IL-1 requires activation of both IKKalpha and IKKbeta and persistent activation of NF-kappa B. Although stimulation with serum induces only transient NF-kappa B activation, IKKalpha and IKKbeta activity are also crucial to serum-induced HSVSMC proliferation. The upstream pathways that contribute to IKK activation in serum-stimulated HSVSMC remain to be established. Inhibition of IKKs may represent a potential therapeutic alternative for inhibition of the excessive VSMC proliferation that can contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and to the failure of vascular surgeries such as balloon angioplasty and insertion of vascular access grafts.


    ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We gratefully acknowledge Tawnya Gannon for technical assistance and Dr. Tatiana Lebedeva for helpful advice concerning EMSA analysis. Human recombinant IL-1beta was kindly provided by Dr. Richard Dondero, Cistron Biotechnology (Pine Brook, NJ), and IKK expression plasmids were generously provided by Dr. David V. Goeddel (Tularik, South San Francisco, CA). This work was supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Grant HL-47569.


    FOOTNOTES

The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact.

Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: D. Beasley, New England Medical Center, Box 172, 750 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111 (E-mail: dbeasley{at}lifespan.org).

Received 4 August 1999; accepted in final form 24 November 1999.


    REFERENCES
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
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Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 278(6):H1823-H1831
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