STRIP2 silencing inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration via P38–AKT–MMP‐2 signaling pathway

Abstract STRIP2 (FAM40B) was reported to regulate tumor cell migration. Our study aims to discuss the effect of STRIP2 in mouse aortic smooth muscle cell (MOVAS) proliferation and migration processes, which contributes greatly to atherosclerosis formation. In MOVAS cells, STRIP2 depletion suppressed cell proliferation and migration, which were related to a remarkable decrease in matrix metalloproteinases‐2 (MMP‐2)/MMP‐9 expression. Additionally, P38 mitogen‐activated protein kinases and Protein kinase B (AKT) are inactivated while extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) are activated upon STRIP2 silencing. SB203580 (P38 inhibitor) further reduced AKT phosphorylation (p‐AKT) while dehydrocorydaline chloride (Dc; P38 activator) reversed this effect. Furthermore, Dc significantly recovered MMP‐2 expression in STRIP2‐knockdown cells. As expected, overexpressing STRIP2 exhibited a contrary effect. Dc and AKT activator SC79 reversed the inhibition of cell proliferation and migration induced by STRIP2 silencing. Interestingly, STRIP2 depletion increased vascular endothelial growth factor level significantly. Taken together, STRIP2 contributed to cell proliferation and migration through P38–AKT–MMP‐2 signaling in MOVAS cells, indicating the importance of STRIP2 in atherosclerosis.