Connective tissue growth factor induces apoptosis via caspase 3 in cultured human aortic smooth muscle cells

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) stimulates proliferation of fibrobla sts and endothelial cells, but nothing is known about its role in smooth mu scle cells. In this study, the effects of recombinant human CTGF (r-hCTGF, 0.5-10 mu g/ml) on cultured human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells were investigated. r-hCTGF significantly reduced cell viability, increased apopt osis, and augmented caspase 3 activity. Moreover, r-hCTGF-induced apoptosis was significantly inhibited by an antibody to CTGF and a caspase-3 inhibit or, Z-Asp(Ome)-Glu-(Ome)Val-Asp(Ome)-FMK. These results suggest that r-hCTG F activates caspase 3 and induces apoptosis. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.