Expression analysis of the SG-SSPN complex in smooth muscle and endothelial cells of human umbilical cord vessels

Recently, participation of the sarcoglycan (SG)-sarcospan (SSPN) complex in the development of cardiomyopathy in patients with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy has been shown, and presence of the complex in smooth muscle may be important for the contraction/dilation process of vessels. However, there are few studies determining the SG-SSPN complex in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells of vessels. In this study, we analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence the expression of different components of the complex in vein/artery smooth muscle and endothelial cells of the human umbilical cord. By RNA analysis, we observed expression of α-, β-, γ-, δ-, ε-SG, and SSPN in smooth muscle cells. In endothelial cells, RNA expression was restricted to β-, δ-, ε-SG, and SSPN. At protein level, we observed in smooth muscle the presence of β-, δ-, ε-SG, and SSPN. In endothelial cells, immunostaining only evidenced the presence of ε-SG and SSPN. However, colocalization of SGs and SSPN with dystrophin and utrophin was noted. These results, interestingly, suggest that the SG-SSPN complex may either form with dystrophin or utrophin in smooth muscle cells, and with utrophin in endothelial cells. Additionally, we also observed in some smooth muscle regions the colocalization of the SG-SSPN complex with caveolin, with colocalization being more pronounced between ε-SG-SSPN and caveolin in endothelial cells.