PRMT6 mediates CSE induced inflammation and apoptosis

Cigarette smoke extract (CSE) induces apoptosis and inflammation, but the mechanism is unknown. Arginine methyltransferase (PRMT6) catalyzes the asymmetric di-methylation of histone H3 arginine 2 (H3R2me2a) to control global level transcription. We hypothesized that PRMT6 mediates CSE induced apoptosis and inflammation through H3R2me2a. The apoptosis after CSE treatment in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was fully measured with real-time reverse transcription PCR, western blotting and Annexin-V staining. Meanwhile, the inflammation in HUVECs after CSE exposure was detected with real-time reverse transcription PCR, western blotting and ELISA. CSE treatment promoted apoptosis and inflammation in HUVECs, coinciding with the decreased protein abundance of PRMT6. Meanwhile, HUVECs transfected with PRMT6 expressing plasmid inhibited the CSE-induced apoptosis and inflammation. Also, the inhibition of PRMT6 promoted the apoptosis and inflammation in HUVECs induced by CSE. Notably, H3R2me2a was associated with the modulation of PRMT6 in CSE induced apoptosis and inflammation in HUVECs. In conclusion, PRMT6 mediates CSE induced apoptosis and inflammation through H3R2me2a in HUVECs.