P4HA2-induced prolyl hydroxylation of YAP1 restricts vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and neointima formation

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and neointima formation play significant roles in atherosclerosis development and restenosis following percutaneous coronary intervention. Our team previously discovered that TEA domain transcription factor 1 (TEAD1) promotes vascular smooth muscle differentiation, which is necessary for vascular development. Conversely, aberrant YAP1 activation upregulates the platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta to encourage VSMC proliferation and neointima formation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of YAP1/TEAD signaling during neointima formation. Our research focused on the prolyl 4-hydroxylase alpha 2 (P4HA2) and its downstream target, Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), in regulating VSMC differentiation and neointima formation. Our results indicated that P4HA2 reduction leads to VSMC dedifferentiation and promotes neointima formation after injury. Furthermore, we found that P4HA2-induced prolyl hydroxylation of YAP1 restricts its transcriptional activity, which is essential to maintaining VSMC differentiation. These findings suggest that targeting P4HA2-mediated prolyl hydroxylation of YAP1 may be a promising therapeutic approach to prevent injury-induced neointima formation in cardiovascular disease.