Summary
Vascular injury to vessel endothelial cells (EC), caused by either mechanical damage
or chronic inflammation, is still awaiting effective therapies. In the present study
we hypothesised that carbon monoxide (CO) acts on the nuclear receptor Rev-erbα to
induce chromatin modification and endothelial cell migration. We demonstrate that
administration of low, safe doses of exogenous CO enhances endothelial cell (EC) migration,
which occurs in part through chromatin remodelling and histone H3 acetylation. Further,
we show that the effects of CO are dependent on inhibition of phosphorylation of glycogen
synthase kinase-3 β (GSK3β), activation of haem synthesis, and increased expression
of Rev-erbα. Rev-erbα is a haem-containing transcription factor which in response
to CO binds to target DNA, recruits the Histone Deacetylase/nuclear Receptor Corepressor
(HDAC/N-CoR) complex, and regulates transcription of genes responsible for endothelial
cell migration and angiogenesis. Decreased levels of Rev-erbα in chimeric mice after
bone marrow transplant from Rev-erbα following bone marrow transplantation from rev-erb+/− mice resulted in loss of protective effects of CO against neointima formation after
wire injury. Collectively, CO modifies chromatin structure through enhanced acetylation
of histone H3 via a GSK3β-Rev-erbα-mediated pathway to increase EC migration. We propose
that CO enhances vessel repair following injury in part by regulating EPC/EC motility
via Rev-erbα. Thus, inhaled CO may be beneficial in the treatment of vascular syndromes
associated with dysregulated thrombosis, wound healing, and angiogenesis.
Keywords
Carbon monoxide - vascular repair - migration - nuclear receptor