Role of the Balance of Akt and MAPK Pathways in the Exercise-Regulated Phenotype Switching in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

The mechanisms regulating vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotype switching and the critical signal modulation affecting the VSMCs remain controversial. Physical exercise acts as an effective drug in preventing elevated blood pressure and improving vascular function. This study was designed to explore the influence of aerobic exercise on the suppression of VSMC phenotype switching by balancing of the Akt, also known as PKB (protein kinase B) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and normotensive rats were subjected to exercise treatment before measuring the vascular morphological and structural performances. Exercise induced reverse expression of VSMC protein markers (α-SM-actin, calponin, and osteopontin (OPN)) in spontaneously hypertensive rats. It is noteworthy that the low expression of phosphorylated Akt significantly decreased the expression of VSMC contractile phenotype markers (α-SM-actin and calponin) and increased the expression of the VSMC synthetic phenotype marker (OPN). However, the MAPK signal pathway exerts an opposite effect. VSMCs and whole vessels were treated by inhibitors, namely the p-Akt inhibitor, p-ERK inhibitor, and p-p38 MAPK inhibitors. VSMC phenotype markers were reversed. It is important to note that a significant reverse regulatory relationship was observed between the expression levels of MAPK and the contractile markers in both normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. We demonstrate that aerobic exercise regulates the VSMC phenotype switching by balancing the Akt and MAPK signaling pathways in SHRs.