Vascular injury to vessel endothelial cells (EC), caused by either mechanical damage or chronic inflammation, is still awaiting effective therapies. In the present study we hypothesised that carbon monoxide (CO) acts on the nuclear receptor Rev-erbα to induce chromatin modification and endothelial cell migration. We demonstrate that administration of low, safe doses of exogenous CO enhances endothelial cell (EC) migration, which occurs in part through chromatin remodelling and histone H3 acetylation. Further, we show that the effects of CO are dependent on inhibition of phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 β (GSK3β), activation of haem synthesis, and increased expression of Rev-erbα. Rev-erbα is a haem-containing transcription factor which in response to CO binds to target DNA, recruits the Histone Deacetylase/nuclear Receptor Corepressor (HDAC/N-CoR) complex, and regulates transcription of genes responsible for endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis. Decreased levels of Rev-erbα in chimeric mice after bone marrow transplant from Rev-erbα following bone marrow transplantation from rev-erb+/- mice resulted in loss of protective effects of CO against neointima formation after wire injury. Collectively, CO modifies chromatin structure through enhanced acetylation of histone H3 via a GSK3β-Rev-erbα-mediated pathway to increase EC migration. We propose that CO enhances vessel repair following injury in part by regulating EPC/EC motility via Rev-erbα. Thus, inhaled CO may be beneficial in the treatment of vascular syndromes associated with dysregulated thrombosis, wound healing, and angiogenesis.
Keywords: Carbon monoxide; migration; nuclear receptor; vascular repair.