7474

WNT5A

hWNT5A;wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 5A;WNT5A;wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 5A

WNT-5A protein|protein Wnt-5a

3p21-p14

protein-coding

Count: WNT5A; 7474

Chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (HPH) is closely associated with profound vascular remodeling, especially pulmonary arterial medial hypertrophy and muscularization due to hyperplasia of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Aberrant Wnt signaling has been associated with lung diseases, but its role in pulmonary hypertension is unclear. This study evaluated the effect of Wnt5a on hypoxia-induced proliferation of human PASMCs and its possible mechanism. The results show that hypoxia (3% O(2), 48 h) induced proliferation of human PASMCs, accompanied with a significant decrease in Wnt5a gene expression, increase in beta-catenin and Cyclin D1 expression, as well as beta-catenin nuclear translocation. Treatment with recombinant mouse Wnt5a significantly inhibited hypoxia-induced proliferation of human PASMCs, upregulation of Cyclin D1 and beta-catenin expression, as well as the nuclear translocation of beta-catenin. These effects were inhibited by Wnt5a antibody. Knocking down beta-catenin or Cyclin D1 gene expression inhibited hypoxia-induced human PASMC proliferation, whereas overexpression of beta-catenin increased hypoxia-induced human PASMC proliferation and counteracted the inhibitory effect of Wnt5a. These results suggest that Wnt5a has an antiproliferative effect on hypoxia-induced human PASMC proliferation by downregulation of beta-catenin and its target gene Cyclin D1. hypoxia-induced downregulation of Wnt5a may be a way to facilitate hypoxia-induced human PASMC proliferation. The results of this study will help to understand the novel strategies for PH treatment involving Wnt signaling.