The role of Ca(2+)/NFAT in Dysfunction and Inflammation of Human Coronary Endothelial Cells induced by Sera from patients with Kawasaki disease

Ca(2+)/nuclear factor of activated T-cells (Ca(2+)/NFAT) signaling pathway may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease (KD). We investigated the poorly understood Ca(2+)/NFAT regulation of coronary artery endothelial cells and consequent dysfunction in KD pathogenesis. Human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) stimulated with sera from patients with KD, compared with sera from healthy children, exhibited significant increases in proliferation and angiogenesis, higher levels of NFATc1 and NFATc3 and some inflammatory molecules, and increased nuclear translocation of NFATc1 and NFATc3. HCAECs stimulated with sera from patients with KD treated with cyclosporine A (CsA) showed decreased proliferation, angiogenesis, NFATc1 and inflammatory molecules levels as compared with results for untreated HCAECs. In conclusion, our data reveal that KD sera activate the Ca(2+)/NFAT in HCAECs, leading to dysfunction and inflammation of endothelial cells. CsA has cytoprotective effects by ameliorating endothelial cell homeostasis via Ca(2+)/NFAT.