cAMP-mediated c-fos expression in pressure-overloaded acceleration of protein synthesis in adult rat heart.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to determine whether proto-oncogene c-fos expression and acceleration of protein synthesis by acute pressure overload to the heart were coupled with a cAMP- and protein-kinase-A-dependent system in adult rat heart. METHODS: Isolated adult rat hearts were perfused as Langendorff preparations at a constant aortic pressure of 60 mmHg. In the pressure-overloaded group, aortic pressure was raised from 60 to 120 mmHg for the time indicated. Agents that increase cAMP were added to the perfusate at an aortic pressure of 60 mmHg. Furthermore, a selective protein kinase A inhibitor (H-89) or a selective protein kinase C inhibitor (calphostin C) was administered before the elevation of aortic pressure or the addition of the agents. cAMP content or rates of protein synthesis were measured by RIA or the incorporation of [14C]phenylalanine into total heart protein, respectively. c-fos mRNA expression was determined by Northern blot analysis. RESULTS: Elevation of aortic pressure in beating hearts and arrested hearts increased cAMP content at 2 min of perfusion by 36 and 41%, induced c-fos mRNA expression at 30-60 min of perfusion by 4.8- and 2.0-fold, and accelerated rates of protein synthesis during the 2nd hour of perfusion by 39 and 41% over control levels, respectively. Glucagon, forskolin or IBMX mimicked increases in these parameters by elevated aortic pressure. H-89 prevented these changes by elevated pressure overload or exposure to forskolin or IBMX in arrested hearts. On the other hand, calphostin C prevented the pressure-induced increases in c-fos expression and protein synthesis rates in arrested hearts. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that c-fos expression induced by acute pressure overload may be coupled with increased cAMP content and protein kinase A activity in addition to increased protein kinase C activity in adult rat heart.

Pressure-induced expression of heat shock protein 70 mRNA in adult rat heart is coupled both to protein kinase A-dependent and protein kinase C-dependent systems.

BACKGROUND: Production of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in the heart is induced by hemodynamic stress, but its intracellular signal transduction system has not been elucidated well. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hypothesis that protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent and protein kinase C (PKC)dependent systems are involved in the pressure-induced expression of HSP70 mRNA in perfused adult rat heart METHODS: Isolated tetrodotoxin-arrested Sprague-Dawley rat hearts were perfused as Langendorff preparations at a constant aortic pressure of 60 mmHg. Aortic pressure in rats of the pressure-overloaded group was elevated from 60 to 120 mmHg for 2-120 min. cAMP contents and rates of synthesis of protein were measured by radioimmunoassay and the incorporation of [14C]-phenylalanine into total heart protein, respectively. Expression of HSP70 mRNA was determined by Northern blot analysis. RESULTS: Elevation of aortic pressure significantly increased cAMP content after 2 min of perfusion (by 41%), significantly increased rates of synthesis of protein during the second hour of perfusion (by 41%), and induced expression of HSP70 mRNA maximally after 60 min of perfusion (2.7-fold the control value). Exposure to glucagon, forskolin or 1 -methyl-3-isobutylxanthine mimicked increases in these parameters caused by elevation of aortic pressure. Administration of a selective PKA inhibitor, H-89, significantly prevented induction of increases in expression of HSP70 mRNA and rates of synthesis of protein by a high pressure overload and exposure to agents that increase cAMP content. Furthermore, administration of phorbol ester induced expression of HSP70 mRNA. Administration of a PKC inhibitor, calphostin C, significantly prevented induction of increases in expression of HSP70 mRNA by a pressure overload and by exposure to phorbol ester. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the pressure-induced induction of production of HSP70 is regulated both by PKA-dependent and by PKC-dependent systems during periods of active synthesis of protein in adult rat heart.

Mechanical stretch activates a pathway linked to mevalonate metabolism in cultured neonatal rat heart cells.

It is not certain whether activation of the Ras/mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway is involved in cardiac hypertrophy. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, such as lovastatin, prevent farnesylation of the Ras protein, which is critical for Ras's membrane localization and function. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the role of the Ras pathway, which is linked to mevalonate metabolism, in the mechanism of stretch-induced myocyte hypertrophy. Myocytes isolated from 1- to 2-day-old rats were cultured at 4.1 x 10(6) cells per well in a deformable silicon dish and incubated with serum-free medium for 7 days. The cultures were stretched by 15% on culture day 4. Stretch increased the RNA/DNA ratio by 20% to 26% on culture days 5 and 6 and the protein/DNA ratio by 18% to 20% on culture days 6 and 7. Stretch accelerated rates of protein synthesis by 24% on culture day 6. Stretch increased protein kinase C (PKC) activity, MAP kinase activity, and c-fos mRNA expression. A selective PKC inhibitor, calphostin C (1 x 10(-6) M), prevented the stretch-induced increase in PKC activity, but lovastatin (7.5 x 10(-6) M) did not. Lovastatin as well as calphostin C partially but significantly inhibited the stretch-induced increases in MAP kinase activity, c-fos mRNA expression, and protein synthesis. Pretreatment with both lovastatin and calphostin C completely inhibited the increases in these variables caused by stretch. Lovastatin as well as calphostin C prevents stretch-induced cardiac hypertrophy. These results suggest that mechanical stretch may activate the Ras pathway, which is linked to mevalonate metabolism, in cultured neonatal rat heart cells.

The role of renal dopamine in the reduction of high blood pressure by beta 1-selective beta-blocker with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The present experiments were undertaken to clarify the difference of renal dopamine production from beta 1-selective beta-blocker with and without intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA). Either beta-blocker with ISA, celiprolol (100 or 300 mg/kg/day; CEL-100 or CEL-300) or beta-blocker without ISA, atenolol (50 mg/kg/day; ATE-50) was administered to the SHR from 19 to 26 weeks. Degrees of lowering blood pressure in CEL-300 SHR and in ATE-50 SHR were similar, but decrease in heart rate was significantly less in CEL-300 SHR than in ATE-50 SHR. Urine output, which was significantly less in control SHR than in control WKY, was significantly greater in CEL-100 SHR and CEL-300 SHR, but not in ATE-50 SHR. Urinary excretions of noradrenaline (u-NA) and dopamine (u-DA) were significantly higher in control SHR than in control WKY and a comparable u-DA/u-NA ratio was found in these two groups. U-DA and the ratio of u-DA/u-NA were significantly elevated in CEL-100 SHR and CEL-300 SHR, but not in ATE-50 SHR. There was a significant positive correlation between u-DA/u-NA ratio and urine output and a significant negative correlation between the ratio of u-DA/u-NA and change of blood pressure in control SHR, CEL-100 SHR and CEL-300 SHR. These results suggest that an enhancement of renal dopamine production by ISA (beta 2 stimulation) of beta 1-selective beta-blocker may contribute, at least in part, to the antihypertensive effect of this drug.

Renin-angiotensin system in stretch-induced hypertrophy of cultured neonatal rat heart cells.

Although it is well known that mechanical load to cardiac muscles causes cardiac hypertrophy, little is known about how mechanical load is transduced into the activation of intracellular signals which are linked to cell growth. We investigated whether the cardiac renin-angiotensin system was involved in stretch-induced hypertrophy of cultured neonatal rat heart myocytes. Myocytes were cultured with serum-free medium in a deformable silicon dish. Stretch of cardiac myocytes significantly increased the protein/DNA ratio at culture days 6 and 7, and the RNA/DNA ratio at culture days 4 and 5. Stretch significantly accelerated rates of protein synthesis by 15%. c-fos mRNA expression was significantly increased after stretch. The stimulatory effects of cell stretch on these parameters were significantly inhibited by the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril, or the type 1 angiotensin II receptor antagonist, losartan. The concentrations of angiotensin I and angiotensin II in culture media were significantly increased by stretch. Stretch did not change the angiotensin converting enzyme activity. These studies demonstrate that mechanical stretch activates the cardiac renin-angiotensin system in a autocrine and paracrine system which acts as an initial mediator of the stretch-induced hypertrophic growth.

Hypertrophic growth of cultured neonatal rat heart cells mediated by vasopressin V(1A) receptor.

Primary cultures of neonatal cardiac myocytes were used to determine both the identity of second messengers that are involved in vasopressin receptor-mediated effects on cardiac hypertrophy and the type of vasopressin receptor that is involved in vasopressin-induced cell growth. Neonatal rat myocytes were plated at a density of 1x10(6) cells per 60 mm dish and were incubated with serum-free medium for 7 days. Treatment of myocytes with vasopressin significantly increased the RNA-to-DNA ratio, by 18-25%, at culture days 4-6 and the protein-to-DNA ratio by 18-20% at culture days 5-7. Rates of protein synthesis were determined to assess their contribution to protein contents during myocyte growth. Vasopressin significantly accelerated rates of protein synthesis by 25% at culture day 6. Intracellular free Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) was transiently increased after vasopressin exposure. After the peak increase in [Ca(2+)](i) at less than 30 s, there was a sustained increase for at least 5 min. The specific activity of protein kinase C in the particulate fraction was increased rapidly after exposure to vasopressin, and its activity remained higher for 30 min, returning to its control level within 60 min. The activity of protein kinase C in the cytosol was significantly decreased at all times after exposure to vasopressin. After vasopressin treatment, the content of c-fos mRNA was increased. The stimulatory effects of vasopressin on these parameters were significantly inhibited by vasopressin V(1A) receptor antagonist, OPC-21268, but not by vasopressin V(2) receptor antagonist, OPC-31260. These results suggest that vasopressin directly induces myocyte hypertrophic growth via the V(1A) receptor in neonatal rat heart cells.

Lovastatin prevents angiotensin II-induced cardiac hypertrophy in cultured neonatal rat heart cells.

Angiotensin II activates p21ras, and mediates cardiac hypertrophic growth through the type 1 angiotensin II receptor in cardiac myocytes. An inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methyglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase has been shown to block the post-translational farnesylation of p21ras and inhibit protein synthesis in several cell types. Primary cultures of neonatal cardiac myocytes were used to determine whether HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, lovastatin, simvastatin and pravastatin inhibit the angiotensin II-induced hypertrophic growth. Angiotensin II (10(-6) M) significantly increased protein-DNA ratio, RNA-DNA ratio, ratios of protein synthesis and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activity. Lipid-soluble HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, lovastatin (10(-6) M) and simvastatin (10(-6) M) partially and significantly inhibited the angiotensin II-induced increases in these parameters, but a water-soluble HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, pravastatin (10(-6) M) did not. Mevalonate (10(-4) M) overcame the inhibitory effects of lovastatin and simvastatin on angiotensin II-induced increases in these parameters. A selective protein kinase C inhibitor, calphostin C (10(-6) M) partially and significantly prevented angiotensin II-induced increases in these parameters, and treatment with both lovastatin and calphostin C inhibited completely. Angiotensin II increased p21ras activity and membrane association, and lovastatin inhibited them. These studies demonstrate that a lipid-soluble HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, lovastatin, may prevent angiotensin II-induced cardiac hypertrophy, at least in part, through p21ras/MAP kinase pathway, which is linked to mevalonate metabolism.

[Endurable grip strength of office workers classified by job and age (author's transl)].

The authors have measured the power and endurable grip strength by five times repetition at five second intervals on post-office clerks (indoor service and outdoor service) and the personnel of harbor construction office (office workers and crew of dredger). The results are as follows: 1) Grip strength (power: higher value either at the first or the second grip) has negative correlation with age. 2) Endurable grip strength (endurance: subtract lower value either at the fourth or fifth grip from the grip strength) of the indoor mail clerks and office workers has no correlation with age, but that of the others (the outdoor service and crew of dredger) has negative correlation with age.

Differential effects of amiloride on the basal rate and the pressure overload-induced increase in protein synthesis in perfused rat heart.

The purpose of the present study were to determine the contribution of Na+/H+ exchange to pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy and to examine its potential interaction with cAMP-dependent signaling pathway. Isolated rat hearts were perfused as Langendorff preparations with aortic pressure of 60 mmHg. In pressure overload group, aortic pressure was increased to 120 mmHg. cAMP contents in the heart perfused at 2 min were examined by RIA. Rates of protein synthesis were examined by 14C-phenylalanine incorporation into myocardial protein during the second hour of perfusion. Expression of c-fos mRNA in the heart perfused at 1 hour was analyzed by Northern blotting. Elevation of aortic pressure from 60 mmHg to 120 mmHg in perfused rat hearts increased cAMP contents from 4.89 +/- 0.09 to 6.30 +/- 0.28 pmol/mg protein and accelerated rates of protein synthesis from 644 +/- 13 to 860 +/- 49 mmol Phe/g dry heart/hr. Expression of c-fos mRNA was induced by elevated aortic pressure. Amiloride, an inhibitor of Na+/H+ exchange, decreased rates of protein synthesis in a concentration-dependent manner (12.5, 25, 50, 100 microM) but did not change cAMP content (5.25 +/- 0.11 pmol/mg protein) or expression of c-fos mRNA. Furthermore, amiloride did not prevent the increases in cAMP (6.99 +/- 0.34 pmol/mg protein), protein synthesis rates (476 +/- 18 to 689 +/- 31 nmolPhe/g dry heart/hr) and expressions of c-fos mRNA that were induced by elevation of aortic pressure. These results indicate that amiloride, an inhibitor of Na+/H+ exchange system, while influencing rates of protein synthesis, does not play an important role in pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. The mechanism by which amiloride influences cardiac protein synthesis is independent of the cAMP-dependent mechanism by which pressure overload induces cardiac hypertrophy.

Albright's syndrome involving the facial bone.

A case of ALbright's syndrome involving the facial bone is presented. A satisfactory result was obtained by surgically recontouring the patient's facial asymmetry.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection after a natural course for 10 years--a case report.

We encountered a patient with spontaneous coronary artery dissection complicated by acute inferior myocardial infarction. A 58-year-old male was admitted to our hospital due to acute inferior myocardial infarction in 1979. Coronary angiography performed 4 weeks after the onset showed a double lumen divided by a linear intimal flap in the right coronary artery, suggesting coronary artery dissection, but no apparent occlusion. Subsequently, he had been medicated with nitrates without any recurrent infarction. In February, 1989, 10 years after the first examination, coronary angiography was again performed and showed that the dissection had remained unchanged. Acetylcholine infusion into the right coronary artery induced coronary spasm. The prognosis of this condition seems to be better than has been generally considered, particularly in patients such as ours in whom the involvement of coronary spasm in the development of coronary artery dissection and myocardial infarction is suggested. When coronary spasm in controlled by treatment with nitrates or calcium antagonists, an uneventful course may be expected.

[A case of humidifier lung associated with BHL].

We encountered a rare case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis associated with bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy (BHL). The patient was a 53-year-old male, who developed dry cough and shortness of breath when using a humidifier since 1982. He was admitted to our hospital for further evaluation in 1987. Chest X-ray films showed BHL and ground glass appearance in the bilateral lung fields. Pulmonary function test indicated disturbance of diffusing capacity. Transbronchial lung biopsy revealed interstitial pneumonitis, and lymph node biopsy by mediastinoscopy showed lymphoid sinus histiocytosis without noncaseating granuloma. Provocation test using the humidifier was positive, and the diagnosis of humidifier lung with BHL was made.