Involvement of phospholipase D in oxidative stress-induced necrosis of vascular smooth muscle cells

Abstract

Phospholipase D (PLD) has been associated with necrosis. However, it is not clear whether PLD plays a causative role in this cellular process. We investigated the role of PLD in oxidative stress-induced necrosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Pervanadate (hydrogen peroxide plus orthovanadate) but not hydrogen peroxide alone activated PLD in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Exposure of VSMCs to pervanadate resulted in necrosis. Pretreatment with butan-1-ol, a PLD inhibitor, attenuated both pervanadate-induced necrosis and increase of intracellular Ca2+. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ inhibited pervanadate-induced necrosis by 50%. These results suggest that PLD activation mediates pervanadate-induced necrosis of VSMCs, which is at least partly due to Ca2+ toxicity.