p38 MAP kinase pathway regulates angiotensin II-induced contraction of rat vascular smooth muscle.

Angiotensin II (ANG II) is a multifunctional hormone that exerts potent vasoconstrictor and hypertrophic effects on vascular smooth muscle. Here, we demonstrate that the p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway is involved in ANG II-induced vascular contraction. Addition of ANG II to rat aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) caused a rapid and transient increase of p38 activity through activation of the AT(1) receptor subtype. This response to ANG II was strongly attenuated by pretreating cells with antioxidants and diphenylene iodonium and was mimicked by exposure of cells to H(2)O(2). Stimulation of p38 by ANG II resulted in the enzymatic activation of MAP kinase-activated protein (MAPKAP) kinase-2 and the phosphorylation of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) in aortic SMC. Pretreatment of cells with the specific p38 MAP kinase inhibitor SB-203580 completely blocked the ANG II-dependent activation of MAPKAP kinase-2 and phosphorylation of HSP27. ANG II also caused a robust activation of MAPKAP kinase-2 in the intact rat aorta. Incubation with SB-203580 significantly decreased the potency of ANG II to induce contraction of rat aortic rings and depressed the maximal hormone response. These results suggest that the p38 MAP kinase pathway selectively modulates the vasoconstrictor action of ANG II in vascular smooth muscle.

Cyclic AMP-mediated inhibition of angiotensin II-induced protein synthesis is associated with suppression of tyrosine phosphorylation signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells.

In the present study, we have examined the effect of increased cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels on the stimulatory action of angiotensin II (Ang II) on protein synthesis. Treatment with cAMP-elevating agents potently inhibited Ang II-induced protein synthesis in rat aortic smooth muscle cells and in rat fibroblasts expressing the human AT1 receptor. The inhibition was dose-dependent and was observed at all concentrations of the peptide. To explore the mechanism of cAMP action, we have analyzed the effects of forskolin and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine on various receptor-mediated responses. Elevation of cAMP did not alter the binding properties of the AT1 receptor and did not interfere with the activation of phospholipase C or the induction of early growth response genes by Ang II. Likewise, Ang II-dependent activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1/ERK2 and p70 S6 kinase was unaffected by cAMP. In contrast, we found that increased concentration of cAMP strongly inhibited the stimulatory effect of Ang II on protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Specifically, cAMP abolished Ang II-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the focal adhesion-associated protein paxillin and of the tyrosine kinase Tyk2. These results identify a novel mechanism by which the cAMP signaling system may exert growth-inhibitory effects in specific cell types.

Inhibition of growth factor-induced protein synthesis by a selective MEK inhibitor in aortic smooth muscle cells.

A common response of cells to mitogenic and hypertrophic factors is the activation of high rates of protein synthesis. To investigate the molecular basis of this action, we have used the recently developed MAP kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD 98059 to examine the involvement of the ERK pathway in the regulation of global protein synthesis by growth factors in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC). Incubation with PD 98059 blocked angiotensin II (AII)-dependent phosphorylation and enzymatic activity of both MEK1 and MEK2 isoforms, leading to inhibition of the phosphorylation and activation of p44(mapk) and p42(mapk). The compound was found to selectively inhibit activation of the ERK pathway by AII, but not the stimulation of p70 S6 kinase, phospholipase C, or tyrosine phosphorylation. Most importantly, treatment of aortic SMC with PD 98059 potently inhibited AII-stimulated protein synthesis with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 4.3 microM. The effect of PD 98059 was not restricted to AII, since the compound also blocked to various extent the induction of protein synthesis by growth factors acting through tyrosine kinase receptors, G protein-coupled receptors, or protein kinase C. These results provide strong evidence that activation of ERK isoforms is an obligatory step for growth factor-induced protein synthesis in aortic SMC.

Involvement of a tyrosine kinase pathway in the growth-promoting effects of angiotensin II on aortic smooth muscle cells.

Angiotensin II (AII) is a growth factor that stimulates protein synthesis and induces cellular hypertrophy in aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC). This trophic effect is mediated by the AT1 subtype of AII receptors. However, very little is known about the cellular signaling pathways involved in this response. In the present study, we examined the role of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in the growth-promoting effects of AII on rat aortic SMC. The addition of AII to quiescent aortic SMC induced tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple substrates, as revealed by antiphosphotyrosine immunoblotting. This response was blocked by preincubation with the AT1-selective antagonist losartan. To explore the functional role of this signaling pathway, we performed experiments with two mechanistically distinct tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Treatment of quiescent aortic SMC with genistein and herbimycin A abolished the stimulatory effect of AII on overall protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Similarly, the two inhibitors prevented AII-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the cytoskeletal protein paxillin. Under the same conditions, incubation with genistein or herbimycin A did not interfere with AII binding to the AT1 receptor and did not significantly affect AII-stimulated inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate production and Ca2+ mobilization. In parallel to their selective action on tyrosine phosphorylation, both genistein and herbimycin A completely inhibited AII-stimulated protein synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, the two inhibitors were much less potent in preventing the trophic effect of phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate in these cells. We further demonstrate that genistein and herbimycin A did not prevent mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and c-fos gene induction, which is consistent with the notion that these downstream effectors do not link AII-induced tyrosine phosphorylation to protein synthesis. These results provide evidence that tyrosine phosphorylation has a critical role in cellular hypertrophy and is involved in AII action in vascular SMC.

Role of p70 S6 protein kinase in angiotensin II-induced protein synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Angiotensin II (AII) is a growth factor which induces cellular hypertrophy in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC). To understand the molecular basis of this action, we have examined the role of the 70-kDa S6 kinases (p70S6K) in the hypertrophic response to AII in aortic SMC. AII potently stimulated the phosphotransferase activity of p70S6K, which reached a maximal value at 15 min and persisted for at least 4 h. This response was completely abolished when the cells were incubated in the presence of the AT1-selective receptor antagonist losartan. The enzymatic activation of p70S6K was associated with increased phosphorylation of the enzyme on serine and threonine residues. The immunosuppressant drug rapamycin was found to selectively inhibit the activation of p70S6K by AII, but not the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase or the induction of c-fos mRNA expression. Treatment of aortic SMC with rapamycin also potently inhibited AII-stimulated protein synthesis with a half-maximal concentration similar to that required for inhibition of p70S6K. These results provide strong evidence that p70S6K plays a critical role in the signaling pathways by which AII induces hypertrophy of vascular SMC.