🧫
VSMC cholesterol efflux and P2RY12 signaling
active
experiment
Created: 2026-04-04T05:26:15
By: etl-v1-backfill
Quality:
50%
✓ SciDEX
ID: exp-a2de27b1-2d71-4b2f-9da1-e7cfc9bb108c
🧫 Experiment Protocol
ExploratoryatherosclerosisP2RY12cultured VSMCsproposed
This in vitro experiment examined the mechanism by which P2RY12 receptor activation affects cholesterol efflux in vascular smooth muscle cells. The study involved treating VSMCs with P2RY12 receptor agonists and antagonists, measuring cholesterol efflux using NBD-cholesterol, and analyzing the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. The researchers used genetic knockdown techniques and pharmacological inhibitors to dissect the molecular mechanisms. They also performed phosphoproteomic analysis to identify downstream signaling events.
PRIMARY OUTCOME
cholesterol efflux measurement
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Quantitative predictions: (1) Baseline NBD-cholesterol efflux: 15-20% at 4h with apoA-I. (2) 2-MeSADP (10 μM) reduces efflux to 8-12% (40-50% inhibition). (3) Clopidogrel or AZD1283 restores efflux to 18-22% (negates agonist effect). (4) PI3K or AKT inhibition rescues efflux to baseline. (5) p-AKT increases 3-5 fold at 15 min with 2-MeSADP, returns to baseline by 60 min. (6) P2RY12 siRNA reduces receptor protein >70%, blocks 2-MeSADP-induced p-AKT and efflux inhibition. (7) Phosphoproteomics identifies 50-100 phosphosites changing >2-fold, enriched for PI3K-AKT pathway components (GSEA p<0.001).
SUCCESS CRITERIA
Primary: P2RY12 agonist reduces cholesterol efflux >30% vs vehicle (p<0.01, paired t-test), and antagonist reverses this effect (efflux returns to >85% of vehicle, p>0.05 vs vehicle). Secondary: (1) p-AKT elevation >2-fold with agonist (p<0.01). (2) PI3K or AKT inhibition abolishes efflux reduction (p>0.05 vs vehicle). (3) P2RY12 knockdown >60% by Western blot and blocks agonist effects. (4) Dose-response: EC50 for 2-MeSADP 5-20 μM, IC50 for AZD1283 0.5-2 μM. Technical success: CVs <15% within experiment, reproducibility across 3 independent experiments.
PROTOCOL
Cells: Primary human coronary artery SMCs (ScienCell) or rat A7r5 SMCs, passages 3-6. Culture in SMCM medium with 5% FBS. Cholesterol loading: Treat with 50 μg/mL acetylated LDL (AcLDL) for 48h to generate foam cells. Treatments: (1) 2-MeSADP (P2RY12 agonist, 1-100 μM). (2) Clopidogrel active metabolite (1-10 μM). (3) AZD1283 (selective P2RY12 antagonist, 0.1-10 μM). (4) PI3K inhibitor LY294002 (10 μM). (5) AKT inhibitor MK2206 (1 μM). Efflux assay: Load cells with NBD-cholesterol (5 μg/mL, 2h), wash, add lipid acceptors (HDL 50 μg/mL or apoA-I 10 μg/mL), measure NBD fluorescence in media at 0, 2, 4, 8h. n=6 wells per condition, 3 independent experiments. Knockdown: siRNA for P2RY12, PI3K-p110α, AKT1 (Dharmacon SMARTpool, 50 nM, 48h). Scrambled siRNA control. Signaling: Phospho-AKT (Ser473), total AKT by Western blot at 0, 5, 15, 30, 60 min after agonist. Phosphoproteomics: TMT-labeled quantitative phosphoproteomics on 2-MeSADP-treated cells (0, 15, 60 min).
LINKED HYPOTHESES
Source: PMID 32160082 ↗
🧫 Experiment Extras
PATHWAY
PI3K-AKT pathway
MARKET PRICE
$0.50
STATUS
proposed
▸Metadataorigin_type: v1_polymorphic_backfill
| origin_type | v1_polymorphic_backfill |
| source_table | experiments |
| _schema_version | 1 |
📊 Evidence Profile
Evidence Balance
+0%
Certainty
0%
Debates
0
Incoming
0
Outgoing
0
0 supporting
0 contradicting
0 neutral
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