Oxidized low density lipoprotein-mediated activation of phospholipase D in smooth muscle cells: a possible role in cell proliferation and atherogenesis.

Low density lipoproteins (LDL) are risk factors in atherosclerosis and oxidative modification of LDL to oxidized LDL (OX-LDL) increases its atherogenicity. Development of atherosclerosis likely involves OX-LDL-mediated smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation. However, the mechanism(s) of SMC proliferation by OX-LDL is unknown. We hypothesized that OX-LDL may mediate SMC proliferation by activation of phospholipase D (PLD) through the generation of the second-messenger, phosphatidic acid (PA). To test this hypothesis, activation of PLD by OX-LDL was investigated in [3H]myristic acid- or [32P]orthophosphate-labeled rabbit femoral artery smooth muscle cells (RFASMC) in the presence of 0.5% ethanol or 0.05% butanol. Phospholipase D activation, as measured by labeled phosphatidylethanol (PEt) or phosphatidylbutanol (PBt) formation, was enhanced (3- to 5-fold) by OX-LDL. This activation of PLD was specific for OX-LDL, as native LDL or acetylated LDL had no effect. Further, OX-LDL-mediated [32P]PEt formation was dose- and time-dependent. To determine the mechanism(s) of OX-LDL-induced PLD activation, the role of protein kinase C (PKC) and Ca2+ was investigated. Pretreatment of [32P]orthophosphate-labeled RFASMC with known inhibitors of PKC such as staurosporine, calphostin-C, or H-7, had no effect on OX-LDL-induced PLD activation. Also, down-regulation of PKC by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) (100 nM, 18 h) did not alter the OX-LDL-mediated [32P]PEt formation. However, pretreatment of RFASMC with genistein, a putative inhibitor of tyrosine kinases, attenuated the OX-LDL-mediated [32P]PEt formation. In addition, exposure of RFASMC to sodium orthovanadate, an inhibitor of phosphatases, enhanced the OX-LDL-mediated PLD activation. The effects of genistein and vanadate on PLD activation were specific for OX-LDL as these agents did not alter the TPA-induced [32P]PEt formation. Treatment of quiescent RFASMC with OX-LDL increased [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA. This enhanced incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA was also mimicked by exogenously added phosphatidic acid (PA) or lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). These findings suggest that OX-LDL is a potent activator of the PLD pathway in SMC. The activation of PLD by OX-LDL generates second-messengers like PA and/or LPA which modulate mitogenesis. Thus, these results indicate that OX-LDL, in atherosclerotic lesions, may enhance SMC proliferation through the modulation of signal transduction pathways including activation of PLD.