SP1-mediated transcriptional activation of PTTG1 regulates the migration and phenotypic switching of aortic vascular smooth muscle cells in aortic dissection through MAPK signaling

Pituitary tumor-transforming gene 1 (PTTG1) has been found to be associated with the process of cell proliferation and invasion, and is highly expressed in aortic dissection (AD). However, its potential role and underlying mechanism in AD remain uncertain. This study aims at elucidating the roles of specificity protein 1 (SP1) and PTTG1 in the migration and phenotypic switching of aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in AD. Aortic samples were collected from 35 patients with AD for examination of PTTG1 expression in the tissues by qPCR, western blot and immunofluorescence. Human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (HAVSMCs) were stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) to establish the cellular model of AD. PTTG1 expression in VSMCs was also examined by qPCR and western blot. Cell viability was detected by CCK-8, cell proliferation by EdU staining and cell migration by wound healing and transwell. Western blot was then performed to assay migration-related proteins. After interference with PTTG1, the levels of smooth muscle pthenotypic switch markers smooth muscle protein 22 alpha (SM22-α) and osteopontin (OPN) were detected by qPCR, western blot and immunofluorescence. The binding of SP1 and PTTG1 was verified with dual-luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP). PTTG1 overexpression was found in AD patients. Interference with PTTG1 attenuated the proliferation and migration of PDGF-BB-stimulated HAVSMCs, in addition to their switching from contractile phenotype to synthetic phenotype. Transcription factor SP1 was up-regulated in PDGF-BB-stimulated HAVSMCs, combined with PTTG1 promoter sequence and regulated PTTG1 expression, whose overexpression reversed the effects of PTTG1 interference on cell proliferation, migration and phenotypic switching. SP1 transcriptional activation of PTTG1 activated MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. In conclusion, SP1 transcriptional activation of PTTG1 regulates the migration and phenotypic transformation of HAVSMCs in AD by MAPK Signaling.