Objective-Arterial injury induces smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation, migration, and intimal accumulation of cells and extracellular matrix. These processes are regulated by the administration of the glycosaminoglycans heparin and heparan sulfate, but little is known about the role of endogenous heparan sulfate proteoglycans in the vessel wall. We investigated the response to carotid injury of syndecan-1-null mice to assess the function of one of a conserved family of transmembrane heparan and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans. Methods and Results-Syndecan-1-null mice developed a large neointimal lesion after injury, whereas wild-type mice made little or none. This was accompanied by a significant increase in both medial and intimal SMC replication. Cultured syndecan-1-null SMCs showed a significant increase in proliferation in response to PDGF-BB, thrombin, FGF2, EGF, and serum. In response to thrombin, PDGF-BB, and serum syndecan-1-null SMCs expressed more PDGF-B chain message than did wild-type SMCs. Downregulation of PDGF-BB or PDGFR inhibited thrombin-, PDGF-BB-, and serum-induced DNA synthesis in syndecan-1-null SMCs. Key Words: syndecan Ⅲ platelet-derived growth factor Ⅲ smooth muscle Ⅲ arterial injury A rterial injury induces smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to proliferate, migrate, and accumulate in the intima. These processes may be modulated by components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), particularly heparin and the related glycosaminoglycan heparan sulfate. These glycosaminoglycans inhibit arterial SMC migration and proliferation and alter SMC ECM composition. 1-3 Although perlecan, an ECM-associated heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG), has been shown to inhibit SMC proliferation and intimal thickening, 4,5 the role of other HSPGs in the injured vessel wall has not been defined.
Conclusions-TheseSyndecan-1 is a member of a conserved family of 4 heparanand chondroitin-sulfate-containing transmembrane HSPGs (syndecans 1 to 4) that are expressed in a developmental-, cell-type-, and tissue-specific manner. 6 Syndecans bind various components of the ECM and are important regulators of cellcell and cell-ECM interactions. All syndecans are normally expressed in the artery. After injury, the levels of mRNA for syndecan-1 slowly rise and peak at about 2 weeks, whereas syndecan-4 peaks at 4 hours, falls toward baseline, and then rises again along with syndecan-1. 7,8 Although all syndecans can bind heparin-binding growth factors and syndecan-4 is known to be required for thrombin-induced migration and proliferation in human aortic SMCs, 9 little is known about the role of syndecan-1 in SMC function. In addition, although it is known that syndecan-4 null mice exhibit a delayed skinwound healing response and syndecan-1-null mice develop a hypocellular scar, 10,11 no studies have been performed to define role for syndecans in the response to vascular injury. Therefore, we have investigated the effects of carotid artery injury in wild-type and syndecan-1-null mice and the growth and migratory properties of vascul...