Extracellular PBEF/NAMPT/visfatin activates pro-inflammatory signalling in human vascular smooth muscle cells through nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase activity

摘要

Aims/hypothesis Extracellular pre-B cell colony-enhancing factoricotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase/visfatin (ePBEF/NAMPT/visfatin) is an adipocytokine, whose circulating levels are enhanced in metabolic disorders, such as diabetes mellitus and obesity. Here, we explored the ability of ePBEF/NAMPT/visfatin to promote vascular inflammation, as a condition closely related to atherothrombotic diseases. We specifically studied the ability of PBEF/NAMPT/visfatin to directly activate pathways leading to inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) induction in cultured human aortic smooth muscle cells, as well as the mechanisms involved.