scholarly journals H2O2 mediates Ca2+- and MLC20phosphorylation-independent contraction in intact and permeabilized vascular muscle

2000 ◽  
Vol 279 (3) ◽  
pp. H1185-H1193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy J. Pelaez ◽  
Tracey R. Braun ◽  
Richard J. Paul ◽  
Richard A. Meiss ◽  
C. Subah Packer

One purpose of the current study was to establish whether vasoconstriction occurs in all vessel types in response to H2O2. Isometric force was measured in pulmonary venous and arterial rings, and isobaric contractions were measured in mesenteric arteries and veins in response to H2O2. A second purpose was to determine whether H2O2-induced contraction is calcium independent. The addition of H2O2 to calcium-depleted (using the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin in zero calcium EGTA buffer) muscle caused contraction. Furthermore, permeabilized muscle contracted in response to H2O2 even in zero Ca2+. The final purpose was to determine whether the 20-kDa regulatory myosin light chain (MLC20) phosphorylation plays a role in H2O2-induced contraction. Pulmonary arterial strips were freeze-clamped at various time points during H2O2-induced contractions, and the relative amounts of phosphorylated MLC20 were measured. H2O2 caused dose-dependent contractions that were independent of MLC20 phosphorylation. ML-9, a myosin light chain kinase inhibitor, had no effect on the H2O2 contractile response. In conclusion, H2O2 induces Ca2+- and MLC20 phosphorylation-independent contraction in pulmonary and systemic arterial and venous smooth muscle.

1992 ◽  
Vol 262 (6) ◽  
pp. C1437-C1445 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Strauss ◽  
P. de Lanerolle ◽  
R. J. Paul

A peptide inhibitor, myosin kinase inhibitor (MKI), of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) was tested for its effects on contractility and myosin light chain phosphorylation in Triton X-100 skinned guinea pig taenia coli. MKI is based on the amino acid sequence of the myosin light chain (residues 11-19 LC20) and is a competitive inhibitor [inhibitory constant (Ki) congruent to 10 microM] of purified MLCK with respect to myosin light chain (LC20). MKI inhibited unloaded shortening velocity (V(us)) and the calcium-sensitive ATPase activity of the skinned fibers but had no significant effect on steady-state isometric force or myosin light chain phosphorylation, as measured by IEF-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. MKI had no significant effect on V(us) of thiophosphorylated fibers in the absence of calcium. MKI inhibited MLCK activity in protein extracts from taenia coli, as measured by radioactive phosphate incorporation into LC20. Surprisingly, MKI also inhibited the phosphatase activity of these same extracts. This peptide slowed the rate and extent of relaxation of calcium-contracted fibers and elicited a contraction in relaxed fibers. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that MKI may be a phosphatase inhibitor as well as an inhibitor of MLCK. Our data further suggest that the rate of phosphorylation-dephosphorylation turnover may be important in regulating V(us) in smooth muscle.


2001 ◽  
Vol 281 (2) ◽  
pp. H637-H646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuhiro Suematsu ◽  
Shinji Satoh ◽  
Shintaro Kinugawa ◽  
Hiroyuki Tsutsui ◽  
Shunji Hayashidani ◽  
...  

α1-Adrenergic stimulation, coupled to Gq, has been shown to promote heart failure. However, the role of α1-adrenergic signaling in the regulation of myocardial contractility in failing myocardium is still poorly understood. To investigate this, we observed 1) the effect of phenylephrine on myofibrillar Ca2+ sensitivity in α-toxin-skinned cardiomyocytes, and 2) protein expression of Gq, RhoA, and myosin light chain phosphorylation using tachypacing-induced canine failing hearts. Phenylephrine significantly increased myofibrillar Ca2+ sensitivity in failing but not in normal cardiomyocytes. Whereas Y-27632 (Rho kinase inhibitor) blocked the phenylephrine-induced Ca2+ sensitization in the failing myocytes, calphostin C (protein kinase C inhibitor) had no effect on Ca2+ sensitization. The protein expression of Gαq and RhoA and the phosphorylation level of regulatory myosin light chain significantly increased in the failing myocardium. Our results suggest that α1-adrenoceptor-Gq signaling is upregulated in the failing myocardium to increase the myofibrillar Ca2+sensitivity mainly through the RhoA-Rho kinase pathway rather than through the protein kinase C pathway.


1998 ◽  
Vol 274 (5) ◽  
pp. C1253-C1260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothee H. Bremerich ◽  
Tetsuya Kai ◽  
David O. Warner ◽  
Keith A. Jones

We studied in β-escin-permeabilized canine tracheal smooth muscle (CTSM) the effect of the protein kinase C (PKC) agonist phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) on isometric force at a constant submaximal Ca2+ concentration (i.e., the effect on Ca2+ sensitivity) and regulatory myosin light-chain (rMLC) phosphorylation. PDBu increased Ca2+sensitivity, an increase associated with a concentration-dependent, sustained increase in rMLC phosphorylation. PDBu altered the relationship between rMLC phosphorylation and isometric force such that the increase in isometric force was less than that expected for the increase in rMLC phosphorylation observed. The effect of four PKC inhibitors [calphostin C, chelerythrine chloride, a pseudosubstrate inhibitor for PKC, PKC peptide-(19—31) (PSSI), and staurosporine] on PDBu-induced Ca2+ sensitization as well as the effect of calphostin C and PSSI on rMLC phosphorylation were determined. Whereas none of these compounds prevented or reversed the PDBu-induced increase in Ca2+sensitivity, the PDBu-induced increase in rMLC phosphorylation was inhibited. We conclude that PDBu increases rMLC phosphorylation by activation of PKC but that the associated PDBu-induced increases in Ca2+ sensitivity are mediated by mechanisms other than activation of PKC in permeabilized airway smooth muscle.


1997 ◽  
Vol 273 (1) ◽  
pp. L80-L85 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. A. Jones ◽  
A. Hirasaki ◽  
D. H. Bremerich ◽  
C. Jankowski ◽  
D. O. Warner

Agonist-induced increases in CA2+ sensitivity are mediated in part by mechanisms that increase phosphorylation of the regulatory myosin light chain (rMLC) at constant cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). The current study tested the hypothesis that halothane inhibits acetylcholine (ACh)-induced potentiation of rMLC phosphorylation in beta-escin-permeabilized canine tracheal smooth muscle. ACh plus GTP significantly potentiated the increase in isometric force and rMLC phosphorylation induced by 0.8 microM free Ca2+. However, whereas the potentiation of isometric force was sustained, the potentiation of rMLC phosphorylation was biphasic, peaking at 0.5 min and then declining by approximately 10 min to a steady-state level significantly above that induced by 0.8 microM free Ca2+ alone. This finding suggests that mechanisms in addition to changes in rMLC phosphorylation may mediate ACh-induced Ca2+ sensitization, as has been reported for vascular smooth muscle. Halothane (0.91 +/- 0.10 mM) significantly inhibited ACh plus GTP-induced potentiation of rMLC phosphorylation and isometric force after 2 (peak rMLC phosphorylation) and 15 (steady-state rMLC phosphorylation) min of stimulation. However, the effect of halothane on the potentiation of isometric force was significantly less than that expected from its effect on rMLC phosphorylation (i.e., halothane changed the relationship between rMLC phosphorylation and isometric force). These results demonstrate that halothane inhibits the ACh-induced increase in Ca2+ sensitivity by inhibiting the membrane receptor-coupled mechanisms that increase rMLC phosphorylation at constant submaximal [Ca2+]i. Possible additional effects of halothane on rMLC phosphorylation-independent mechanisms cannot be ruled out.


2010 ◽  
Vol 299 (2) ◽  
pp. H292-H299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Li ◽  
Yuqiang Fang ◽  
Guangming Yang ◽  
Yu Zhu ◽  
Jing Xu ◽  
...  

RhoA, an important member of the Rho family of GTPases, has been implicated in many cellular processes. Our pilot study found that RhoA participated in the regulation of vascular reactivity after shock, but the mechanism was incompletely understood. Whether RhoA regulates vascular reactivity through the Rho kinase-myosin light-chain phosphatase (MLCP) and Rac1-p21-activated kinase (PAK)-myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK) signaling pathway needs investigation. With isolated, superior mesenteric arteries from hemorrhagic-shock rats and hypoxia-treated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), the effects of U-46619 (RhoA agonist) and C3 transferase (RhoA antagonist) on vascular reactivity, and the relationship to the Rho kinase-MLCP and Rac1-PAK-MLCK signaling pathways were observed. The vascular reactivity of the superior mesenteric artery and the contractile response of VSMCs to norepinephrine after prolonged hemorrhagic shock and hypoxia (2 h) were significantly decreased. Activation of RhoA with U-46619 significantly increased shock or hypoxia-induced decreased vascular reactivity. These effects of U-46619 were abolished by Y-27632 (Rho kinase inhibitor) and PDGF (Rac1 stimulator). Y-27632 had a stronger antagonistic effect than PDGF. U-46619 increased the activity of Rho kinase and MLCK, enhanced the phosphorylation of 20-kDa myosin light chain, and decreased the activity of Rac1, PAK, and MLCP in VSMCs after hypoxia. Y-27632-antagonized U-46619 induced the decrease of MLCP activity and the increase of 20-kDa myosin light chain phosphorylation. PDGF-antagonized U-46619 induced decrease of PAK activity and increase of MLCK activity. RhoA has an important role in the regulation of vascular reactivity after hemorrhagic shock. The Rho kinase-MLCP and Rac1-PAK-MLCK signal pathways participate in the regulatory process of RhoA. Rho kinase-MLCP may be the main signaling pathway by which RhoA regulates vascular reactivity.


2000 ◽  
Vol 278 (3) ◽  
pp. L521-L527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina M. Pabelick ◽  
David O. Warner ◽  
William J. Perkins ◽  
Keith A. Jones

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the nitric oxide donor S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) relaxes canine tracheal smooth muscle (CTSM) strips by decreasing Ca2+sensitivity [i.e., the amount of force for a given intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i)]. We further investigated whether GSNO decreases Ca2+ sensitivity by altering the relationship between regulatory myosin light chain (rMLC) phosphorylation and [Ca2+]i and the relationship between force and rMLC phosphorylation. GSNO (100 μM) relaxed intact CTSM strips contracted with 45 mM KCl by decreasing Ca2+ sensitivity in comparison to control strips without significantly decreasing [Ca2+]i. GSNO reduced the amount of rMLC phosphorylation for a given [Ca2+]i but did not affect the relationship between isometric force and rMLC phosphorylation. These results show that in CTSM strips contracted with KCl, GSNO decreases Ca2+ sensitivity by affecting the level of rMLC phosphorylation for a given [Ca2+]i, suggesting that myosin light chain kinase is inhibited or that smooth muscle protein phosphatases are activated by GSNO.


2002 ◽  
Vol 282 (2) ◽  
pp. H602-H610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard D'Angelo ◽  
Leonard P. Adam

Phosphorylation of the actin-associated protein caldesmon (CaD) by extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) is purported to participate in force maintenance by vascular smooth muscle. We examined the interrelationship among ERK1/2 activity, phosphorylation of the high molecular weight isoform of CaD (h-CaD) and the 20-kDa myosin light chain (LC20), and isometric force in strips of porcine carotid artery stimulated with endothelin-1 (ET-1; 50 nM). After an initial delay, ERK1/2 activity increased in parallel with ET-1-mediated force; h-CaD phosphorylation increased modestly. 2-(2′-Amino-3′-methoxyphenyl)-ox-anaphthalen-4-one (PD-098059; 50 μM), an ERK1/2 kinase inhibitor, significantly reduced basal ERK1/2 activity within 1 h, but only partially attenuated h-CaD phosphorylation at 3 h. The mechanisms underlying the temporal dissociation of ERK1/2 activity from h-CaD phosphorylation are unknown, but include the possibility that a kinase other than ERK1/2 phosphorylates h-CaD or, more likely, that phosphate turnover in h-CaD is very slow. PD-098059 partially inhibited the development of ET-1-stimulated force only in Ca2+-replete physiological saline solution, primarily by reducing LC20phosphorylation, yet had no effect on myosin light chain kinase in vitro. These inhibitory effects were most evident during the early phase of force production. The inhibitory effect of PD-098059 on force could not be correlated with a corresponding effect on ERK1/2-mediated h-CaD phosphorylation because force in arterial strips stimulated with ET-1 in the absence or presence of PD-098059 tended to approximate each other over time despite significant differences in the level of h-CaD phosphorylation. Force and LC20 phosphorylation in response to KCl depolarization were unaffected by PD-098059. These results show that ERK1/2 may regulate force in arterial smooth muscle, but suggest that the mechanism for this effect is by inhibiting LC20phosphorylation.


2018 ◽  
pp. 89-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Tong ◽  
Jun-Ping Ao ◽  
Hong-Li Lu ◽  
Xu Huang ◽  
Jing-Yu Zang ◽  
...  

The contraction of gastrointestinal (GI) smooth muscles is regulated by both Ca(2+)-dependent and Ca(2+) sensitization mechanisms. Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) is involved in the depolarization-induced contraction of vascular smooth muscle via a Ca(2+) sensitization pathway. However, the role of Pyk2 in GI smooth muscle contraction is unclear. The spontaneous contraction of colonic smooth muscle was measured by using isometric force transducers. Protein and phosphorylation levels were determined by using western blotting. Pyk2 protein was expressed in colonic tissue, and spontaneous colonic contractions were inhibited by PF-431396, a Pyk2 inhibitor, in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX). In cultured colonic smooth muscle cells (CSMCs), PF-431396 decreased the levels of myosin light chain (MLC20) phosphorylated at Ser19 and ROCK2 protein expression, but myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) expression was not altered. However, Y-27632, a Rho kinase inhibitor, increased phosphorylation of Pyk2 at Tyr402 and concomitantly decreased ROCK2 levels; the expression of MLCK in CSMCs did not change. The expression of P(Tyr402)-Pyk2 and ROCK2 was increased when CSMCs were treated with Ach. Pyk2 is involved in the process of colonic smooth muscle contraction through the RhoA/ROCK pathway. These pathways may provide very important targets for investigating GI motility disorders.


1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (5) ◽  
pp. L768-L774 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Zhao ◽  
R. A. Rhoades ◽  
C. S. Packer

The signal transduction pathway of hypoxic pulmonary arterial contraction has not been elucidated. Phosphorylation of the 20-kDa myosin light chain (MLC20) is thought to be essential for vascular muscle contraction. However, there are reports that smooth muscle will contract in response to nonphysiological stimuli such as phorbol esters without the involvement of MLC20 phosphorylation. The purpose of this study was to determine if hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial contraction is dependent on MLC20 phosphorylation. Isolated rat pulmonary and carotid (for comparative purposes) arterial strips were contracted with 80 mM KCl to establish maximum active tension in response to membrane depolarization. The strips were then stimulated with one of the following: 30 mM KCl, 1 microM phenylephrine, 0.01 microM angiotensin II, 1 microM phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), or hypoxia (95% N2-5% CO2). In some experiments ML-9, a myosin light chain kinase inhibitor, or calphostin C, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, was introduced into the bath before hypoxia. Isometric tension was recorded as a function of time. Muscle strips were freeze-clamped (liquid N2) at various time points during the course of responses to the various stimuli. MLC20 phosphorylation levels were measured by ureaglycerol gel electrophoresis followed by Western blot procedure. Results show that increased MLC20 phosphorylation correlates with initiation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle contraction in response to all agonists with the exception of PMA, a known activator of PKC. The MLC20 phosphorylation levels correlate with tension development in response to hypoxia, and ML-9 abolished the hypoxic contractions. In contrast, hypoxia relaxed carotid arterial muscle, and there was a corresponding decrease in the MLC20 phosphorylation level. In conclusion, hypoxia appears to result in MLC20 phosphorylation-mediated contraction in conduit pulmonary arterial muscle and in MLC20 dephosphorylation-mediated relaxation in systemic arterial muscle.


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