α1-Adrenoceptor-Gq-RhoA signaling is upregulated to increase myofibrillar Ca2+ sensitivity in failing hearts

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.

2003 ◽  
Vol 284 (3) ◽  
pp. C599-C606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiromi Nobe ◽  
Koji Nobe ◽  
Fabeha Fazal ◽  
Primal de Lanerolle ◽  
Richard J. Paul

Fibroblasts form fibers when grown in culture medium containing native type 1 collagen. The contractile forces generated can be precisely quantified and used to analyze the signal transduction pathways regulating fibroblast contraction. Calf serum (30%) induces a sustained contraction that is accompanied by a transient increase in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i). W-7, a calmodulin inhibitor, KN-62, an inhibitor of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, and ML-7, a myosin light-chain kinase inhibitor, had no effects on either the contraction or the [Ca2+]i responses. Neither genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, nor calphostin C, a protein kinase C inhibitor, had major effects on force or [Ca2+]i. In contrast, the Rho kinase inhibitors (R)-(+)- trans-N-(4-pyridyl)-4-(1-aminoethyl)-cyclohexanecarboxamide (Y-27632) and HA1077 depressed the contraction in a dose-dependent manner without affecting the [Ca2+]iresponse. Stress fiber formation was also suppressed by Y-27632. Surprisingly, calf serum, Y-27632, and calf serum plus Y-27632 did not alter mono- or diphosphorylation of the myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC) compared with control untreated fibers. These results suggest that the sustained contraction of NIH 3T3 fibroblast fibers induced by calf serum is mediated by Rho kinase but is independent of a sustained increase in [Ca2+]i, calcium/calmodulin- or protein kinase C-dependent pathways, or increases in MRLC phosphorylation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 988-996
Author(s):  
Bryan F. Mitchell ◽  
Mei Chi ◽  
Elle Surgent ◽  
Bailey M. Sorochan ◽  
Curtis N. Tracey ◽  
...  

Background: Preterm birth is the most common cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality and a common precedent to lifelong disability. Current treatment has minimal efficacy. Objective: We assessed the role of isozymes of the protein kinase C (PKC) family in regulating the phosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chains (RLCs), which regulate uterine contractility. We also explored the mechanisms through which these isozymes function. Study Design: We used a previously characterized and validated quantitative in-cell Western (ICW) assay to measure site-specific phosphorylations on myosin RLC and CPI-17. Cultures of human uterine myocytes (hUM) were treated with the potent contractile stimulant oxytocin to induce uterine contractility or a pharmacological mimic of diacyl-glycerol to stimulate the conventional and novel isozymes of the PKC family. Combinations of isozyme-selective inhibitors were used to determine the effects of the conventional and novel classes of isozymes. Results: Stimulation of PKC using phospho-dibutyrate caused immediate, concentration-dependent inhibition of uterine activity ex vivo. Using the ICW assay with hUM, the oxytocin-stimulated increase in the pro-contractile phosphorylations of myosin RLCs at serine19 and threonine18 was completely inhibited by prior treatment with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, which stimulates both convention and novel classes of isozymes. Our results suggest that the conventional class of isozymes cause a reduction in phosphorylations at serine19 and threonine18 by reducing activity of myosin light chain kinase. The novel class of isozymes has 2 mechanisms of action: the first is activation of CPI-17 through phosphorylation at threonine38, which results in reduced activity of myosin light chain phosphatase and increased levels of activated myosin RLC; the second is increased phosphorylation of the N-terminal region of myosin RLC. Conclusions: Specific agonists for the conventional isozymes or inhibitors of the novel isozymes of the PKC family could be useful pharmacological agents for regulation of uterine activity.


Blood ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 83 (12) ◽  
pp. 3562-3573 ◽  
Author(s):  
AD Michelson ◽  
SE Benoit ◽  
MH Kroll ◽  
JM Li ◽  
MJ Rohrer ◽  
...  

Abstract Thrombin decreases the platelet surface expression of the glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX complex. To determine whether this effect is reversible, flow cytometric studies were performed with GPIb-IX-specific monoclonal antibodies. In both whole blood and washed platelet systems, incubation of platelets with thrombin or a combination of adenosine diphosphate and epinephrine resulted in a maximal decrease of the platelet surface expression of GPIb-IX within 5 minutes, after which there was a time- dependent return of the platelet surface GPIb-IX complex, which was maximal by 60 minutes. Exposure of the same platelets to additional exogenous thrombin resulted in a second decrease in platelet surface GPIb-IX, followed by a second reconstitution of platelet surface GPIb- IX. Throughout these experiments there was no measurable release from the platelets of glycocalicin (a proteolytic fragment of GPIb). Experiments in which platelets were preincubated with a biotinylated GPIb-specific MoAb showed that the GPIb molecules that returned to the platelet surface were the same molecules that had been translocated to the intraplatelet pool. The GPIb molecules that returned to the platelet surface were functionally competent to bind von Willebrand factor, as determined by ristocetin-induced platelet agglutination and ristocetin-induced binding of exogenous von Willebrand factor. Inhibitors of protein kinase C and myosin light-chain kinase enhanced the reexpression of platelet surface GPIb. In summary, the activation- induced decrease in the platelet surface expression of the GPIb-IX complex is reversible. Inactivation of protein kinase C and myosin light-chain kinase are important mechanisms in the reexpression of the platelet surface GPIb-IX complex.


1989 ◽  
Vol 108 (2) ◽  
pp. 553-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
V Papadopoulos ◽  
P F Hall

The cytoskeletons of Y-1 mouse adrenal tumor cells contain a calcium and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) that is bound sufficiently tight to resist extraction by 0.5% Triton but not by 1.0% Triton. The enzyme has been purified to near homogeneity from cytoskeleton and cytosol. It shows features typical of this type of kinase, namely a requirement for Ca2+ and phospholipid, stimulation by tumor promoters but not by nontumor-promoting phorbol esters, and inhibition by trifluoperazine. The enzyme shows specificity for four substrates found in the cytoskeleton, namely 80, 33, 20, and 18 kD. The first three substrates are phosphorylated by the enzyme; the fourth is dephosphorylated and is therefore affected by the kinase indirectly. The 80-kD protein is the kinase enzyme itself which is autophosphorylated in vitro and in the cytoskeleton. The 20-kD protein is myosin light chain. The 33- and 18-kD proteins are unidentified. The same substrates were phosphorylated when Y-1 cells were permeabilized with digitonin and incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate. Partly purified protein kinase C changes the extent of phosphorylation of the same substrates when added to cytoskeletons previously extracted to remove endogenous protein kinase C. Addition of Ca2+, phosphatidylserine, and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate to cytoskeletons, and addition of these three agents plus protein kinase C to extracted cytoskeletons, causes these structures to undergo a rapid and extensive rounding. A similar change is induced in intact cells by addition of phorbol ester. It is concluded that protein kinase C is capable of changing the shape of adrenal cells by an action that involves autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of myosin light chain. This response may in turn be related to the steroidogenic responses to ACTH and cyclic AMP.


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