Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound

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Query: UMLS:C0020538 (hypertension)
170,190 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation still remains a poorly understood process, although it is believed to play a critical role in pathological states, including atherosclerosis and hypertension. Several reports have suggested that proteases may be directly involved in this process; however, it was still unclear which protease is responsible for VSMC proliferation. In this study, by use of a cell-permeable calpain inhibitor (calpeptin; benzyloxycarbonyl-Leu-nLeu-H), its analogue (benzyloxycarbonyl-Leu-Met-H), the cell-impermeable serine protease inhibitor leupeptin, and antisense oligonucleotide against m-calpain to inhibit proliferation of primarily cultured human VSMCs, we investigated whether calcium-activated neutral protease (calpain) is involved in VSMC proliferation. Calpeptin and its analogue, more specific for m-calpain, equally inhibited the proliferation of VSMCs in a dose-related manner, whereas a more limited antiproliferative effect was observed in leupeptin-treated VSMCs. Antisense oligonucleotide against m-calpain, but not scrambled antisense, dose-dependently inhibited m-calpain expression and proliferation of VSMCs. Maximal inhibition was an approximately 50% reduction of cell number and m-calpain antigen observed at 50 micromol/L of antisense oligonucleotide. Calpeptin or antisense oligonucleotide against m-calpain increased the expression of the endogenous calpain substrate pp125FAK (focal adhesion kinase), whereas the expression of the endogenous calpain inhibitor calpastatin was not affected. These results suggest that the proliferation of VSMCs requires protease activity, some of which is due to m-calpain.
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PMID:Possible involvement of m-calpain in vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. 951 20

Bombesin (Bn) receptor subtype 3 (BRS-3) is an orphan receptor that is a predicted member of the heptahelical G-protein receptor family and so named because it shares a 50% amino acid homology with receptors for the mammalian bombesin-like peptides neuromedin B (NMB) and gastrin-releasing peptide. In a recent targeted disruption study, in which BRS-3-deficient mice were generated, the mice developed obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. To date, BRS-3's natural ligand remains unknown, its pharmacology unclear, and cellular basis of action undetermined. Furthermore, there are few tissues or cell lines found that express sufficient levels of BRS-3 protein for study. To define the intracellular signaling properties of BRS-3, we examined the ability of [D-Phe6,beta-Ala11,Phe13, Nle14]Bn-(6-14), a newly discovered peptide with high affinity for BRS-3, and various Bn receptor agonists and antagonists to alter cellular function in hBRS-3-transfected BALB 3T3 cells and hBRS-3-transfected NCI-H1299 non-small cell lung cancer cells, which natively express very low levels of hBRS-3. This ligand stimulated a 4-9-fold increase in [3H]inositol phosphate formation in both cell lines under conditions where it caused no stimulation in untransfected cells and also stimulated an increase in [3H]IP1, [3H]IP2, and 3H]IP3. The elevation of [3H]IP was concentration-dependent, with an EC50 of 20-35 nM in both cell lines. [D-Phe6,beta-Ala11,Phe13,Nle14]Bn-(6-14) stimulated a 2-3-fold increase in [Ca2+]i, a 3-fold increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of p125(FAK) with an EC50 of 0.2-0.7 nM, but failed to either stimulate increases in cyclic AMP or inhibit forskolin-stimulated increases. None of nine naturally occurring Bn peptides or three synthetic Bn analogues reported to activate hBRS-3 did so with high affinity. No high affinity Bn receptor antagonists had high affinity for the hBRS-3 receptor, although two low affinity antagonists for gastrin-releasing peptide and NMB receptors, [D-Arg1,D-Trp7,9, Leu11]substance P and [D-Pro4,D-Trp7,9,10]substance P-(4-11), inhibited hBRS-3 receptor activation. The NMB receptor-specific antagonist D-Nal,Cys,Tyr,D-Trp,Lys,Val, Cys,Nal-NH2 inhibited hBRS-3 receptor activation in a competitive fashion (Ki = 0.5 microM). Stimulation of p125(FAK) tyrosine phosphorylation by hBRS-3 activation was not inhibited by the protein kinase C inhibitor, GF109203X, or thapsigargin, alone or in combination. These results show that hBRS-3 receptor activation increases phospholipase C activity, which causes generation of inositol phosphates and changes in [Ca2+]i and is also coupled to tyrosine kinase activation, but is not coupled to adenylate cyclase activation or inhibition. hBRS-3 receptor activation results in tyrosine phosphorylation of p125(FAK), and it is not dependent on activation of either limb of the phospholipase C cascade. Although the natural ligand is not a known bombesin-related peptide, the availability of [D-Phe6,beta-Ala11, Phe13,Nle14]Bn-(6-14), which functions as a high affinity agonist in conjunction with hBRS-3-transfected cell lines and the recognition of three classes of receptor antagonists including one with affinity of 0.5 microM, should provide important tools to assist in the identification of its natural ligand, the development of more potent selective receptor antagonists and agonists, and further exploration of the signaling properties of the hBRS-3 receptor.
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PMID:Ability of various bombesin receptor agonists and antagonists to alter intracellular signaling of the human orphan receptor BRS-3. 959 99

The vascular wall is constantly subjected to a variety of mechanical forces in the form of stretch (tensile stress), due to blood pressure, and shear stress, due to blood flow. Alterations in either of these stresses are known to result in vascular remodeling, an adaptation characterized by modified morphology and function of the blood vessels, allowing the vessels to cope with physiological or pathological conditions. The processes involved in vascular remodeling include cellular hypertrophy and hyperplasia, as well as enhanced protein synthesis or extracellular matrix protein reorganization. In vitro studies using vascular cells have attempted to identify the mechanisms behind structural alterations. Possible pathways include ion channels, integrin interaction between cells and the extracellular matrix, activation of various tyrosine kinases (such as c-Src, focal adhesion kinase, and mitogen-activated protein kinases), and autocrine production and release of growth factors. These pathways lie upstream of de novo synthesis of immediate response genes and total protein synthesis, both of which are likely to be involved in the process of vascular remodeling.
Hypertension 1998 Aug
PMID:Signal transduction of mechanical stresses in the vascular wall. 971 64

In cardiac fibroblasts, angiotensin II (Ang II) induced a rapid increase in extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) activity in a pertussis toxin insensitive manner. This ERK activation was abolished by the Gq-associated phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 but was insensitive to protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors or PKC downregulation by phorbol ester. Intracellular Ca2+ chelation by BAPTA-AM or TMB-8 abolished Ang II induced ERK activation, whereas treatment with EGTA or nifedipine did not affect it. Ca2+ ionophore A23187 also induced a rapid increase in ERK activity to an extent similar to that of Ang II stimulation. Calmodulin inhibitors (W7 and calmidazolium) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (genistein and ST638) completely blocked ERK activation by Ang II and A23187. Both Ang II and A23187 caused a rapid increase in the binding of GTP to p21(Ras), which was nearly abolished by genistein and calmidazolium. Transfection with the dominant negative mutant of Ras and the Ras inhibitor manumycin completely inhibited Ang II induced ERK activation. It was also found for the first time that cardiac fibroblasts abundantly expressed Ca2+-sensitive tyrosine kinase Pyk2/CAKbeta/RAFTK and that Ang II markedly induced its activation in a Ca2+/calmodulin-sensitive manner. Overexpression of the dominant negative mutant of Pyk2 significantly attenuated Ang II or A23187-induced ERK activities (36% and 38% inhibition compared with that in mock-transfected cells, respectively) and ERK tyrosine phosphorylation levels, as well as an increase in the binding of GTP to p21(Ras). These findings demonstrate that in cardiac fibroblasts, Ang II induced Ras/ERK activation is dominantly regulated by Gq-coupled Ca2+/calmodulin signaling and that Pyk2 plays an important role in the signal transmission for efficient activation of the Ang II induced Ras/ERK pathway.
Hypertension 1998 Oct
PMID:Role of calcium-sensitive tyrosine kinase Pyk2/CAKbeta/RAFTK in angiotensin II induced Ras/ERK signaling. 977 61

The increase in vascular wall stress imposed by hypertension has been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Much of this chronic cyclical mechanical strain is experienced by the vascular smooth (VSM) cells of the vascular media. The cellular mechanisms whereby VSM cells sense and respond to changing mechanical forces are poorly understood. This review focuses on an emerging field of cardiovascular research in which the direct effects of mechanical strain on VSM cells and isolated blood vessels in organ culture have been characterized, in vitro. Cyclical mechanical strain profoundly influences cultured VSM cell orientation, growth and phenotype. Mechanical strain also increases the secretory function of VSM cells leading to increased extracellular matrix protein production. Vasoactive mediators such as angiotensin II potentiate these effects. Mechanical strain increases VSM cell release of platelet derived growth factor, transforming growth factor beta1, fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor, which act in autocrine or paracrine loops to influence VSM and endothelial cell growth and function. Mechanical strain may also activate local tissue renin-angiotensin systems and regulate expression of angiotensin II receptors within the cardiovascular system. The mechanism whereby VSM cells transduce mechanical stimuli into an intracellular signal and biological response, i.e. 'mechanotransduction', is strongly dependent on integrins. Moreover, specific matrix protein:integrin engagements lead to differential VSM cells responses via the selective activation of numerous intracellular signalling pathways including; mitogen-activated protein kinase, focal adhesion kinase and c-Src. The study of vascular mechanotransduction has begun to delineate the complex cellular basis of cardiovascular structural and functional modification in hypertension.
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PMID:Mechanical influences on vascular smooth muscle cell function. 988 78

In this review, the signal events regulated by angiotensin II (AngII) in vascular smooth muscle are analyzed based on activation of specific tyrosine kinases. AngII has been shown to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of hypertension, inflammation, atherosclerosis, and congestive heart failure. The expanding role of AngII indicates that multiple signal transduction pathways are likely to be activated in a tissue-specific manner. Although at least three AngII receptors have been characterized, it seems that the AngII type I receptor (AT1R) is physiologically most important since pharmacologic inhibitors of the AT1R block most AngII signal events and have beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease. The AT1R is a seven transmembrane-spanning G protein-coupled receptor that regulates intracellular signal events by activation of Gq and Gi. However, many recent data indicate that activation of tyrosine kinases by several different mechanisms contributes to AngII effects in target tissues. Tyrosine kinases activated by AngII include c-Src, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), Pyk2 (CADTK), Janus kinases (JAK2 and TYK2), and the receptor tyrosine kinases Ax1, epidermal growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor. Finally, unknown tyrosine kinases may mediate tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin, Shc, Raf, and phospholipase C-gamma after AngII stimulation. These AngII-regulated tyrosine kinases seem to be required for AngII effects such as vasoconstriction, proto-oncogene expression, and protein synthesis based on studies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Thus, understanding AngII-stimulated signaling events, especially those related to tyrosine kinase activity, may form the basis for the development of new therapies for cardiovascular diseases.
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PMID:Angiotensin II signal transduction in vascular smooth muscle: pathways activated by specific tyrosine kinases. 989 42

-PYK2, a recently identified Ca2+-sensitive tyrosine kinase, has been implicated in extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation via several G protein-coupled receptors. We have reported that angiotensin II (Ang II) induces Ca2+-dependent transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) which serves as a scaffold for preactivated c-Src and downstream adaptors (Shc/Grb2), leading to ERK activation in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Herein we demonstrate the involvement of PYK2 in this cascade. Ang II rapidly induced tyrosine phosphorylation of PYK2, whose effect was completely inhibited by an AT1 receptor antagonist and an intracellular Ca2+ chelator. A Ca2+ ionophore also induced PYK2 tyrosine phosphorylation to a level comparable with that by Ang II, whereas phorbol ester-induced phosphorylation was less than that by Ang II. Moreover, PYK2 formed a complex coprecipitable with catalytically active c-Src after Ang II stimulation. Although a selective EGFR kinase inhibitor completely abolished Ang II-induced recruitment of Grb2 to EGFR and markedly attenuated Ang II-induced ERK activation, it had no effect on Ang II-induced PYK2 tyrosine phosphorylation or its association with c-Src and Grb2. These data suggest that the AT1 receptor uses Ca2+-dependent PYK2 to activate c-Src, thereby leading to EGFR transactivation, which preponderantly recruits Grb2 in rat VSMC.
Hypertension 1999 Jan
PMID:Involvement of PYK2 in angiotensin II signaling of vascular smooth muscle cells. 993 Nov 5

Chronic stimulation of norepinephrine (NE) neuromodulation by angiotensin II (Ang II) involves activation of the Ras-Raf-MAP kinase signal transduction pathway in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rat brain neurons. This pathway is only partially responsible for this heightened action of Ang II in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) brain neurons. In this study, we demonstrate that the MAP kinase-independent signaling pathway in the SHR neuron involves activation of PI3-kinase and protein kinase B (PKB/Akt). Ang II stimulated PI3-kinase activity in both WKY and SHR brain neurons and was accompanied by its translocation from the cytoplasmic to the nuclear compartment. Although the magnitude of stimulation by Ang II was comparable, the stimulation was more persistent in the SHR neuron compared with the WKY rat neuron. Inhibition of PI3-kinase had no significant effect in the WKY rat neuron. However, it caused a 40-50% attenuation of the Ang II-induced increase in norepinephrine transporter (NET) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNAs and [3H]-NE uptake in the SHR neuron. In contrast, inhibition of MAP kinase completely attenuated Ang II stimulation of NET and TH mRNA levels in the WKY rat neuron, whereas it caused only a 45% decrease in the SHR neuron. However, an additive attenuation was observed when both kinases of the SHR neurons were inhibited. Ang II also stimulated PKB/Akt activity in both WKY and SHR neurons. This stimulation was 30% higher and lasted longer in the SHR neuron compared with the WKY rat neuron. In conclusion, these observations demonstrate an exclusive involvement of PI3-kinase-PKB-dependent signaling pathway in a heightened NE neuromodulatory action of Ang II in the SHR neuron. Thus, this study offers an excellent potential for the development of new therapies for the treatment of centrally mediated hypertension.
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PMID:Role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in angiotensin II regulation of norepinephrine neuromodulation in brain neurons of the spontaneously hypertensive rat. 1008 56

In the present study, we examined the reversal effects of L-arginine (L-ARG) treatment in vivo on blood pressure and on vascular responsiveness of chronic diabetic rats. Twelve weeks after streptozotocin (STZ) injection, the systolic blood pressures (SBP) of diabetic groups have been found to be significantly higher compared with that of control groups. L-ARG treatment for 4 weeks, begun 12 weeks after the onset of diabetes, induced a significant fall in SBP of diabetic rats. Maximal contractile response and sensitivity (pD(2)value) of the aortae to phenylephrine (PE) were significantly enhanced in diabetic rats compared with control subjects. Treatment of diabetic rats with L-ARG completely reversed the increases in responsiveness and sensitivity of aortae to PE. The relaxation response to acetylcholine (ACh), but not to sodium nitroprusside (SNP), in diabetic aorta has been found to be significantly decreased when compared with control subjects. The in vivo treatment with L-ARG reversed the decreased ACh responses to the control level. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) level of diabetic rats was also significantly higher than control subjects. However, L-ARG treatment normalized the increase in MDA level of plasma of diabetic rats. All of the effects of L-ARG treatment were found to be specific for diabetic rats but not control subjects. These results show that L-ARG treatment in vivo has a reversal effect on impaired vascular responses and increased oxidative stress. The present findings also suggest that oxidative stress that occurred in diabetes might cause or contribute to the development of hypertension by affecting vascular reactivity. On the other hand, the lipid peroxidation-lowering effect of L-ARG may account for its beneficial effect on SBP and vascular responsiveness of diabetic rats.
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PMID:Reversal effects of L-arginine treatment on blood pressure and vascular responsiveness of streptozotocin-diabetic rats. 1062 88

Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays an important role in cardiac remodeling through stimulation of proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) production in cardiac fibroblasts. Integrins are a family of transmembrane receptors that mediate the attachment of cells to ECM. We hypothesized that Ang II regulation of integrins further contributes to its role in cardiac remodeling. We cultured adult rat cardiac fibroblasts with and without Ang II (100 nmol/L) to determine the effects on mRNA and protein levels of integrins, as well as alpha-actinin and other cytoskeletal proteins that link to integrins at the site of focal adhesions. Ang II was also added in the presence of irbesartan (10 micromol/L), a specific Ang II type 1 (AT(1)) receptor antagonist, or PD 123319 (10 micromol/L), a specific Ang II type 2 receptor antagonist. To investigate the function of these integrins, we determined the effects of blocking antibodies on Ang II-induced adhesion to ECM. We also treated spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with an AT(1) receptor blocker, losartan, or with hydralazine to investigate integrin and alpha-actinin expression in treated and untreated SHR. Ang II enhanced alpha(v), beta(1), beta(3), and beta(5) integrins; osteopontin; and alpha-actinin mRNA and protein levels in cardiac fibroblasts. All of these effects were inhibited by irbesartan but not by PD 123319. Pretreatment of cardiac fibroblasts with Ang II enhanced cell attachment to ECM proteins and induced focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation. Blocking antibodies to beta(3) and alpha(v)beta(5) attenuated Ang II-induced adhesion. In SHR, ventricular alpha(v) and beta(5) integrin expression and alpha-actinin were increased compared with those in Wistar-Kyoto rats. Although both losartan and hydralazine lowered mean arterial pressure and decreased peripheral vascular resistance, only losartan attenuated the increased integrin, alpha-actinin, fibronectin laminin, and osteopontin expression and the increased left ventricular mass (as determined with echocardiography). Hydralzine had none of these effects. Although both agents attenuated beta-myosin heavy chain expression, a marker of hypertrophy, losartan had a greater effect. These results suggest that integrins and alpha-actinin are upregulated by Ang II and in left ventricular hypertrophy and that the block of expression of these proteins through inhibition of the AT(1) receptor is associated with attenuation of the hypertrophic response. Ang II induces integrin and alpha-actinin expression in cardiac fibroblasts that is associated with adhesion and left ventricular hypertrophy and blocked through inhibition of the AT(1) receptor.
Hypertension 2000 Jan
PMID:Angiotensin II enhances integrin and alpha-actinin expression in adult rat cardiac fibroblasts. 1064 10


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