Neuropeptide Y Stimulates Proliferation and Migration of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells from Pregnancy Hypertensive Rats via Y1 and Y5 Receptors

The increased proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play important roles in pathophysiological remodeling of arteries during hypertension in pregnancy. However, the mechanisms involved in this process remain unclear. We hypothesized that Neuropeptide Y (NPY), which is a potent mitogenic peptide, participates in modulating proliferation and migration of VSMCs during hypertension in pregnancy. Using pregnant hypertensive rats, induced by intraperitoneal injection of L-nitro-arginine methylester (L-NAME), the plasma concentration of NPY was detected. Open angle, which reflects the non-uniform remodeling with high sensitivity, was used to detect the pathophysiological vascular remodeling in vivo. The results revealed that NPY concentration and artery open angle were both significantly increased in rats with hypertension in pregnant. The underlying mechanism of elevated NPY on vascular remodeling were further analyzed by using cultured VSMCs in vitro. In cultured VSMCs, NPY most effectively stimulated the migration and proliferation of VSMCs at 10(-6) mol/L, similar to the plasma concentration in L-NAME hypertension in pregnant rats. NPY up-regulated the expressions of both Y1 and Y5 receptors, increased the phosphorylations of STAT3 on Tyr705 and Ser727 residues, and induced the expression of c-Fos. The NPY-induced VSMCs proliferation was reduced by Y5 receptor antagonist, and fully blocked by combinations with other antagonist, such as Y2+Y5, Y1+Y5, and Y1+Y2+Y5. In contrast, the NPY-induced VSMC migration was blocked by either Y receptor antagonist or any combination of Y receptor antagonists. These results suggest that the elevated plasma concentration of NPY during hypertension in pregnancy may induce VSMC proliferation mainly via Y5 receptor, which subsequently modulate STAT3 and c-Fos signaling pathways to result in the vascular remodeling. These results also suggest that NPY mainly acts on VSMCs in vitro via Y1, Y5 receptors and in vascular tissues in vivo via Y5 receptor.