TY - JOUR AB - Activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), one of three sensor proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), is an important regulatory factor in the ER stress‑induced apoptosis pathway. Although recent studies have made some progress in elucidating the regulation mechanism of ATF6, the specific regulatory mechanism of ER stress‑induced vascular endothelial cell (VEC) apoptosis is still unclear. The present study was designed to investigate the role of ATF6 in VECs under thapsigargin (TG)‑induced ER stress. ATF6 (1‑366aa; ATF6 high‑expressed plasmid) and ATF6 (151‑366aa; plasmid without transcriptional activity) were transfected into VECs to yield an ATF6 high‑expression model and a positive control model, respectively. High expression of ATF6 decreased viability and aggravated ER stress‑induced apoptosis in VECs. Increased expression of apoptosis‑related genes, including those encoding caspase‑3, caspase‑9, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), cytochrome c and B‑cell lymphoma‑associated protein X (Bax)/B‑cell lymphoma (Bcl‑)2, was detected by polymerase chain reaction and western blotting in the ATF6 (1‑366aa) + TG group. No significant effect of TG treatment and high ATF6 expression was indicated on the expression of death receptor‑related genes, including those encoding caspase‑8 and Fas. The results demonstrated that high expression of activated ATF6 aggravates ER stress‑induced VEC apoptosis through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Furthermore, in response to ER stress, ATF6 upregulates the expression of caspase‑3, caspase‑9, CHOP, cytochrome c and Bax/Bcl‑2. AD - Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Soochow, Jiangsu 215000, P.R. China Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, P.R. China Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, P.R. China AU - Huang,Jingyong AU - Wan,Li AU - Lu,Heping AU - Li,Xiaoqiang DA - 2018/05/01 DO - 10.3892/mmr.2018.8658 EP - 6489 IS - 5 JO - Mol Med Rep KW - endoplasmic reticulum stress vascular endothelial cells activating transcription factor 6 apoptosis pathway PY - 2018 SN - 1791-2997 1791-3004 SP - 6483 ST - High expression of active ATF6 aggravates endoplasmic reticulum stress‑induced vascular endothelial cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway T2 - Molecular Medicine Reports TI - High expression of active ATF6 aggravates endoplasmic reticulum stress‑induced vascular endothelial cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2018.8658 VL - 17 ER -