Angiotensin II, miR-34a, and AGTRAP crosstalk in arterial smooth muscle cells

Arterial aging is associated with enhanced angiotensin II (Ang II) signaling via Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and with microRNA-34a (miR-34a) increased expression. AT1R-associated protein (ATRAP/Agtrap) binds to AT1R, promotes its internalization, and inhibits Ang II signaling. This study addresses the hypothesis that miR-34a targets ATRAP/Agtrap and enhances Ang II pro-inflammatory signaling via AT1R in arterial vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Our results show that miR-34a exhibits an age-associated increase in Rhesus monkey's common carotid artery and rat aorta. Further, AGTRAP protein expression is lower in old rat VSMC and in old mice aorta. Ang II enhances miR-34a in old rat VSMC and human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC), and inhibits AGTRAP and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) mRNA/protein expression. In miR-34a-overexpressing HASMC, AGTRAP and SIRT1 mRNA/protein decrease, and these effects are rescued by AGTRAP forced expression. Moreover, miR-34a directly targets AGTRAP and AGTRAP downmodulation further enhances miR-34a expression decreasing SIRT1 in HASMC. Finally, Ang II and miR-34a induce the upregulation of pro-inflammatory genes, interleukin (IL)-6, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor 8 (MFGE8) in HASMC, and this effect is abolished by AGTRAP forced expression. In conclusion, Ang II upregulates miR-34a, activating a negative feedback loop on AGTRAP that reinforces Ang II signaling. The age-associated AGTRAP downmodulation in central arteries and VSMC underlies a potential miR-34a/AGTRAP role in vascular aging.