SWI/SNF Complex in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Its Implications in Cardiovascular Pathologies

Abstract

Mature vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) exhibit a remarkable degree of plasticity, a characteristic that has intrigued cardiovascular researchers for decades. Recently, it has become increasingly evident that the chromatin remodeler SWItch/Sucrose Non-Fermentable (SWI/SNF) complex plays a pivotal role in orchestrating chromatin conformation, which is critical for gene regulation. In this review, we provide a summary of research related to the involvement of the SWI/SNF complexes in VSMC and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), integrating these discoveries into the current landscape of epigenetic and transcriptional regulation in VSMC. These novel discoveries shed light on our understanding of VSMC biology and pave the way for developing innovative therapeutic strategies in CVD treatment.

Elucidating VSMC phenotypic transition mechanisms to bridge insights into cardiovascular disease implications

“…The myocardin-SRF complex, a central component of VSMC phenotype regulation and a coactivator for most VSMC contractile genes, has been implicated in this process. Bennett and others found that myocardin +/− mice on an ApoE knockout background showed increased AS severity and macrophage accumulation compared to myocardin +/+ littermates, with VSMCs being the sole vascular cells expressing myocardin ( 85 ). Furthermore, KLF4 directly interacts with SRF, disrupting the myocardin-SRF complex and inhibiting the expression of VSMC contractile genes, thereby mediating VSMC phenotypic transformation ( 86 ).…”