Growth Hormone Alleviates Atherosclerosis Through Regulating the Activity of PI3K/AKT Pathway: Insights From Single-Cell Sequence and Mechanism Exploration.

Purpose: This research sought to investigate the impact and underlying mechanisms of growth hormone (GH) on atherosclerosis (AS) based on the analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. Methods: We analyzed the impact of GH on arterial vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) by utilizing scRNA-seq data obtained from both atherosclerotic and healthy vascular tissues in mice. AS was induced in C57BL/6 and ApoE Results: scRNA-seq data analysis showed that growth hormone signaling was reduced in VSMCs of atherosclerotic arteries. HFD led to elevated levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), accompanied by increased lipid deposition, inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress. In contrast, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels were lower in C57-Hx mice. GH treatment improved HFD-induced AS in ApoE Conclusion: GH alleviates the development of AS through the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. The findings of this research emphasize the therapeutic potential of GH in inhibiting AS and highlight the importance of the PI3K/AKT pathway as a promising target for clinical intervention.