Biomaterial Database

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase mediates hyperosmolarity-induced vasoconstriction through myosin light chain phosphorylation and actin polymerization in rat aorta. 2013

Tomoya Sasahara, and Katsutoshi Yayama, and Hiroshi Okamoto

Laboratory of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University.

Hyperosmotic stress induces the contractile response of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Previous studies have demonstrated that cytoskeleton reorganization and Rho/Rho-kinase-mediated inactivation of myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) play an important role in hyperosmotic vasoconstriction, but the precise mechanism is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the contractile response of endothelium-denuded rings of rat aortas to hyperosmolar sucrose (160 mM) in the presence or absence of inhibitors for various protein kinases. We found that the hyperosmotic constriction of aortic rings was attenuated not only by ML-7 or hydroxyfasudil, specific inhibitor for myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) or Rho-kinase, respectively, but also by SB203580, a specific inhibitor for p38 mitogen-activated kinase (p38 MAPK). Hyperosmolar sucrose evoked a transient increase in cytosolic free Ca(2+) in rat VSMCs, and this response was not affected by SB203580. Western blot analysis of proteins extracted from rings showed that the hyperosmolar sucrose stimulated phosphorylation of the Rho-kinase-mediated myosin phosphatase target subunit 1, myosin light chain (MLC), and p38 MAPK. The experiments performed using a combination of the kinase inhibitors showed that hyperosmolarity-induced MLC phosphorylation is partially mediated via the SB203580-sensitive pathway and is independent of both MLCK and Rho-kinase-mediated inactivation of MLCP. Furthermore, the hyperosmolarity-induced increase in the F-actin/G-actin ratio in rings was attenuated not only by hydroxyfasudil but also by SB203580. These results suggest that p38 MAPK is involved in hyperosmotic vasoconstriction via stimulation of MLC phosphorylation and cytoskeleton reorganization through pathways independent of activation of MLCK and/or Rho-kinase-mediated mechanisms.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009994	Osmolar Concentration	The concentration of osmotically active particles in solution expressed in terms of osmoles of solute per liter of solution. Osmolality is expressed in terms of osmoles of solute per kilogram of solvent.	Ionic Strength,Osmolality,Osmolarity,Concentration, Osmolar,Concentrations, Osmolar,Ionic Strengths,Osmolalities,Osmolar Concentrations,Osmolarities,Strength, Ionic,Strengths, Ionic
D009995	Osmosis	Tendency of fluids (e.g., water) to move from the less concentrated to the more concentrated side of a semipermeable membrane.	Osmoses
D009997	Osmotic Pressure	The pressure required to prevent the passage of solvent through a semipermeable membrane that separates a pure solvent from a solution of the solvent and solute or that separates different concentrations of a solution. It is proportional to the osmolality of the solution.	Osmotic Shock,Hypertonic Shock,Hypertonic Stress,Hypotonic Shock,Hypotonic Stress,Osmotic Stress,Hypertonic Shocks,Hypertonic Stresses,Hypotonic Shocks,Hypotonic Stresses,Osmotic Pressures,Osmotic Shocks,Osmotic Stresses,Pressure, Osmotic,Pressures, Osmotic,Shock, Hypertonic,Shock, Hypotonic,Shock, Osmotic,Shocks, Hypertonic,Shocks, Hypotonic,Shocks, Osmotic,Stress, Hypertonic,Stress, Hypotonic,Stress, Osmotic,Stresses, Hypertonic,Stresses, Hypotonic,Stresses, Osmotic
D010766	Phosphorylation	The introduction of a phosphoryl group into a compound through the formation of an ester bond between the compound and a phosphorus moiety.	Phosphorylations
D002118	Calcium	A basic element found in nearly all tissues. It is a member of the alkaline earth family of metals with the atomic symbol Ca, atomic number 20, and atomic weight 40. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and combines with phosphorus to form calcium phosphate in the bones and teeth. It is essential for the normal functioning of nerves and muscles and plays a role in blood coagulation (as factor IV) and in many enzymatic processes.	Coagulation Factor IV,Factor IV,Blood Coagulation Factor IV,Calcium-40,Calcium 40,Factor IV, Coagulation
D000199	Actins	Filamentous proteins that are the main constituent of the thin filaments of muscle fibers. The filaments (known also as filamentous or F-actin) can be dissociated into their globular subunits; each subunit is composed of a single polypeptide 375 amino acids long. This is known as globular or G-actin. In conjunction with MYOSINS, actin is responsible for the contraction and relaxation of muscle.	F-Actin,G-Actin,Actin,Isoactin,N-Actin,alpha-Actin,alpha-Isoactin,beta-Actin,gamma-Actin,F Actin,G Actin,N Actin,alpha Actin,alpha Isoactin,beta Actin,gamma Actin
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001013	Aorta, Thoracic	The portion of the descending aorta proceeding from the arch of the aorta and extending to the DIAPHRAGM, eventually connecting to the ABDOMINAL AORTA.	Aorta, Ascending,Aorta, Descending,Aortic Arch,Aortic Root,Arch of the Aorta,Descending Aorta,Sinotubular Junction,Ascending Aorta,Thoracic Aorta,Aortic Roots,Arch, Aortic,Ascending Aortas,Junction, Sinotubular,Root, Aortic,Sinotubular Junctions
D013395	Sucrose	A nonreducing disaccharide composed of GLUCOSE and FRUCTOSE linked via their anomeric carbons. It is obtained commercially from SUGARCANE, sugar beet (BETA VULGARIS), and other plants and used extensively as a food and a sweetener.	Saccharose