CDYL-mediated H3K18 crotonylation upregulates SGK1 to promote vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching

Comprehensive analyses were performed using Western blot, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), gene knockdown/overexpression, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays.Results During VSMC phenotypic switching, chromatin-bound protein Y (CDYL) was significantly downregulated, while histone H3 lysine 18 crotonylation (H3K18cr) modification and serum/glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) expression were upregulated and negatively regulated by CDYL.Conclusion This study demonstrates that CDYL downregulation promotes H3K18cr-mediated epigenetic activation of SGK1, thereby driving VSMC phenotypic switching.

These findings provide novel therapeutic targets and conceptual frameworks for the clinical prevention and treatment of aortic dissection and aneurysm.