Effects of endogenous carbon monoxide on gene expression profiles associated with the apoptosis of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells

Objective To identify the gene expression profiles associated with the apoptosis of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells stimulated by carbon monoxide(CO).Methods Primary cultured Sprague-Dawley rat pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells(PASMC) were stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF,20 ng/mL) and hemin(20 μmol/L).Cells were harvested after 2 hrs and Affymetrix microarrays were used to detect the gene expression profile.Results Some genes associated with Map2k3(P38) signal pathway,such as CyclinD1,CyclinH,CyclinL1,MAP2K3,Kras and Nras,were upregulated,but P27 expression was downregulated after PDGF treatment.After endogenous CO treatment,some genes associated with P53 pathway,such as Gadd45α,P21 and Trp53inp1,were upregulated.Conclusions P53 pathway probably plays an important role in apoptosis of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells treated with endogenous CO.