Transforming growth factor-β1 causes pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell apoptosis via ALK5

We have previously shown that transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 protected against main pulmonary artery endothelial cell (PAEC) apoptosis induced by serum deprivation and VEGF receptor blockade through a mechanism associated with ALK5-mediated Bcl-2 upregulation. In the current study, we investigated the effect of TGF-beta1 on pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell (PMVEC) apoptosis. We found that, in contrast to the results seen in conduit PAEC, TGF-beta1 caused apoptosis of PMVEC, an effect that was also dependent on ALK5 activity. We noted that non-SMAD signaling pathways did not play a role in TGF-beta1-induced apoptosis. Both SMAD2 and SMAD1/5 were activated upon exposure to TGF-beta1. TGF-beta1-induced activation of SMAD2, but not SMAD1/5, was abolished by ALK5 inhibition, an effect that associated with prevention of TGF-beta1-induced apoptosis. These results suggest that SMAD2 is important in TGF-beta1-induced apoptosis of PMVEC. While caspase-12 activity was not altered, caspase-8 was activated by TGF-beta1, an effect that correlated with a reduction of cFLIP protein levels. Additionally, TGF-beta1 decreased Bcl-2 protein levels and induced cytochrome c cytosolic redistribution. These results suggest that TGF-beta1 caused apoptosis of PMVEC likely through both caspase-8-dependent extrinsic pathway and mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway. We noted that inhibition of ALK5 attenuated serum deprivation-induced apoptosis, an effect that correlated with increased expression and activation of CREB and its potential target genes, Bcl-2 and cFLIP. These results suggest that CREB may be important in mediating apoptosis resistance of PMVEC upon ALK5 inhibition perhaps through upregulation of Bcl-2 and cFLIP. Finally, we noted that SMAD1/5 were activated upon ALK5 inhibition in the presence of low levels of TGF-beta1, an effect associated with enhanced endothelial proliferation. We speculate that imbalance of ALK1 and ALK5 may contribute to the development of pulmonary artery hypertension.