Regulation of proteoglycan metabolism by adiponectin in vascular smooth muscle cells

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Adiponectin is an adipose-specific plasma protein that exhibits antiatherogenic activities. Proteoglycans macromolecules comprising a core protein and glycosaminoglycan side chains are postulated to be the key molecules in atherosclerosis progression. In the present study, proteoglycans obtained from cultured human coronary artery smooth muscle cells after treatment with adiponectin, were characterized by biochemical techniques. The results indicated that adiponectin induces the synthesis of decorin, a small dermatan sulfate proteoglycan, in the smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, the length of dermatan sulfate chains of the decorin molecule appeared to remain unchanged, but the epimerization of glucuronic acid in the chains decreased. Although the significance of adiponectin regulation of decorin synthesis remains to be determined, the present study, for the first time, demonstrates that adiponectin regulates vascular smooth muscle cell proteoglycan synthesis.