Activation of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor fine-tunes age-related decreased vascular activities in the aortae of female and male rats.

BACKGROUND: Hormone replacement therapy was found to be effective in cardiovascular protection only in younger women, not in older women. In this study, we tested whether G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) activation improves vascular activities in response to ET-1 and ACh in aging rats. METHODS: Isometric tension study was applied on aortic rings isolated from young adult (5-7 months) and reproductive senescent middle-aged (10-12 months) female Sprague Dawley rats and age matched males. RESULTS: The aortic contractile response to ET-1 and the relaxation response to ACh were reduced in the female middle-aged rats compared to the female young adult rats. The presence of G-1, the GPER agonist, normalized the reduced vascular activities. Cyclooxygenase inhibitor, meclofenamate, blocked the increased constriction effect of G-1, but further enhanced relaxation effect of G-1. There was no significant difference in aortic reactivity to either ET-1 or ACh between the male middle-aged and young adult rats. The contractile response to ET-1 was not different within the same age of the two sex groups, but there was a remarkable difference in relaxation response to ACh between young adult females and males with better response in females. GPER activation greatly improved the aortic relaxation of both young adult and middle-aged females, but not the males. CONCLUSIONS: Endothelial dysfunction occurs earlier in males, but in females, dysfunction delays until middle age. GPER activation improves the vascular activities in females, but not males. It is promising to employ GPER as a potential drug target in cardiovascular disease in women.

Estrogen Improves Insulin Sensitivity and Suppresses Gluconeogenesis via the Transcription Factor Foxo1.

Premenopausal women exhibit enhanced insulin sensitivity and reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared with age-matched men, but this advantage disappears after menopause with disrupted glucose homeostasis, in part owing to a reduction in circulating 17ß-estradiol (E2). Fasting hyperglycemia is a hallmark of T2D derived largely from dysregulation of hepatic glucose production (HGP), in which Foxo1 plays a central role in the regulation of gluconeogenesis. Here, we investigated the action of E2 on glucose homeostasis in male and ovariectomized (OVX) female control and liver-specific Foxo1 knockout (L-F1KO) mice and sought to understand the mechanism by which E2 regulates gluconeogenesis via an interaction with hepatic Foxo1. In both male and OVX female control mice, subcutaneous E2 implant improved insulin sensitivity and suppressed gluconeogenesis; however, these effects of E2 were abolished in L-F1KO mice of both sexes. In our use of mouse primary hepatocytes, E2 suppressed HGP and gluconeogenesis in hepatocytes from control mice but failed in hepatocytes from L-F1KO mice, suggesting that Foxo1 is required for E2 action on the suppression of gluconeogenesis. We further demonstrated that E2 suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis through activation of estrogen receptor (ER)α-phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt-Foxo1 signaling, which can be independent of insulin receptor substrates 1 and 2 (Irs1 and Irs2), revealing an important mechanism for E2 in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. These results may help explain why premenopausal women have lower incidence of T2D than age-matched men and suggest that targeting ERα can be a potential approach to modulate glucose metabolism and prevent diabetes.

Coupled OPG-Fc on Decellularized Aortic Valves by EDC/NHS Attenuates Rat MSCs Calcification In Vitro.

Valve calcification commonly damages natural human heart valves and tissue-engineered heart valves (TEHVs), and no ideal intervention is available in clinical practice. It is increasingly considered that osteoprotegerin (OPG) inhibits vascular calcification. Herein we aimed to explore whether free OPG-Fc fusion protein or coupled OPG-Fc on decellularized aortic valves attenuates calcification. Calcification of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) was induced by osteogenic differentiation media, and the effects of free OPG-Fc or OPG-Fc coupled on the decellularized porcine aortic heart valve leaflet scaffolds by coupling agents 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC)/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) on calcification were observed. Mineralization of the extracellular matrix, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and expression of osteoblastic markers were assessed to determine the calcification kinetics. Our results indicated that the matrix calcium content and the ALP activity, as well as the mRNA expression levels of a bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), osteopontin (OPN), and osteocalcin (OC), of the MSCs seeded on plates with free OPG-Fc or on the OPG-Fc-coupled scaffolds decreased compared with their control MSCs without coupled OPG-Fc. The results suggest that both free and immobilized OPG-Fc on the decellularized aortic valve scaffolds by EDC/NHS can attenuate the calcification of MSCs induced by osteogenic differentiation media, implying that OPG-Fc might be a new treatment or prevention strategy for the calcification of natural human heart valves and TEHVs in the future.

The activation of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor induces relaxation via cAMP as well as potentiates contraction via EGFR transactivation in porcine coronary arteries.

Estrogen exerts protective effects against cardiovascular diseases in premenopausal women, but is associated with an increased risk of both coronary heart disease and stroke in older postmenopausal women. Studies have shown that activation of the G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) can cause either relaxation or contraction of arteries. It is highly likely that these dual actions of GPER may contribute to the seemingly paradoxical effects of estrogen in regulating coronary artery function. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that activation of GPER enhances agonist-stimulated porcine coronary artery contraction via epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) transactivation and its downstream extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) pathway. Isometric tension studies and western blot were performed to determine the effect of GPER activation on coronary artery contraction. Our findings demonstrated that G-1 caused concentration-dependent relaxation of ET-1-induced contraction, while pretreatment of arterial rings with G-1 significantly enhanced ET-1-induced contraction. GPER antagonist, G-36, significantly inhibited both the G-1-induced relaxation effect and G-1-enhanced ET-1 contraction. Gallein, a Gßγ inhibitor, significantly increased G-1-induced relaxation, yet inhibited G-1-enhanced ET-1-mediated contraction. Similarly, inhibition of EGFR with AG1478 or inhibition of Src with phosphatase 2 further increased G-1-induced relaxation responses in coronary arteries, but decreased G-1-enhanced ET-1-induced contraction. Western blot experiments in porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells (PCASMC) showed that G-1 increased tyrosine phosphorylation of EGFR, which was inhibited by AG-1478. Furthermore, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays showed that the level of heparin-binding EGF (HB-EGF) released by ET-1 treatment increased two-fold; whereas pre-incubation with G-1 further increased ET-1-induced HB-EGF release to four-fold over control conditions. Lastly, the role of ERK1/2 was determined by applying the MEK inhibitor, PD98059, in isometric tension studies and detecting phospho-ERK1/2 in immunoblotting. PD98059 potentiated G-1-induced relaxation response, but blocked G-1-enhanced ET-1-induced contraction. By western blot, G-1 treatment decreased phospho-ERK1/2, however, in the presence of the adenylyl cyclase inhibitor, SQ22536, G-1 significantly increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation in PCASMC. These data demonstrate that activation of GPER induces relaxation via cAMP as well as contraction via a mechanism involving transactivation of EGFR and the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in porcine coronary arteries.

Activation of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 induces coronary artery relaxation via Epac/Rap1-mediated inhibition of RhoA/Rho kinase pathway in parallel with PKA.

Previously, we reported that cAMP/PKA signaling is involved in GPER-mediated coronary relaxation by activating MLCP via inhibition of RhoA pathway. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that activation of GPER induces coronary artery relaxation via inhibition of RhoA/Rho kinase pathway by cAMP downstream targets, exchange proteins directly activated by cAMP (Epac) as well as PKA. Our results show that Epac inhibitors, brefeldin A (BFA, 50 µM), or ESI-09 (20 µM), or CE3F4 (100 µM), all partially inhibited porcine coronary artery relaxation response to the selective GPER agonist, G-1 (0.3-3 µM); while concurrent administration of BFA and PKI (5 µM), a PKA inhibitor, almost completely blocked the relaxation effect of G-1. The Epac specific agonist, 8-CPT-2Me-cAMP (007, 1-100 µM), induced a concentration-dependent relaxation response. Furthermore, the activity of Ras-related protein 1 (Rap1) was up regulated by G-1 (1 µM) treatment of porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells (CASMCs). Phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (p-VASP) was elevated by G-1 (1 µM) treatment, but not by 007 (50 µM); and the effect of G-1 on p-VASP was blocked by PKI, but not by ESI-09, an Epac antagonist. RhoA activity was similarly down regulated by G-1 and 007, whereas ESI-09 restored most of the reduced RhoA activity by G-1 treatment. Furthermore, G-1 decreased PGF2α-induced p-MYPT1, which was partially reversed with either ESI-09 or PKI; whereas, concurrent administration of ESI-09 and PKI totally prevented the inhibitory effect of G-1. The inhibitory effects of G-1 on p- MLC levels in CASMCs were mostly restored by either ESI-09 or PKI. These results demonstrate that activation of GPER induces coronary artery relaxation via concurrent inhibition of RhoA/Rho kinase by Epac/Rap1 and PKA. GPER could be a potential drug target for preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases.

Androgen receptor differentially regulates the proliferation of prostatic epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo.

Androgens regulate the proliferation and differentiation of prostatic epithelial cells, including prostate cancer (PCa) cells in a context-dependent manner. Androgens and androgen receptor (AR) do not invariably promote cell proliferation; in the normal adult, endogenous stromal and epithelial AR activation maintains differentiation and inhibits organ growth. In the current study, we report that activation of AR differentially regulates the proliferation of human prostate epithelial progenitor cells, NHPrE1, in vitro and in vivo. Inducing AR signaling in NHPrE1 cells suppressed cell proliferation in vitro, concomitant with a reduction in MYC expression. However, ectopic expression of AR in vivo stimulated cell proliferation and induced development of invasive PCa in tissue recombinants consisting of NHPrE1/AR cells and rat urogenital mesenchymal (UGM) cells, engrafted under renal capsule of adult male athymic mice. Expression of MYC increased in the NHPrE1/AR recombinant tissues, in contrast to the reduction seen in vitro. The inhibitory effect of AR signaling on cell proliferation in vitro were reduced by co-culturing NHPrE1/AR epithelial cells with prostatic stromal cells. In conclusion, these studies revealed that AR signaling differentially regulates proliferation of human prostatic epithelia cells in vitro and in vivo through mechanisms involving stromal/epithelial interactions.

G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor as a new therapeutic target for treating coronary artery disease.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) continues to be the greatest mortality risk factor in the developed world. Estrogens are recognized to have great therapeutic potential to treat CHD and other cardiovascular diseases; however, a significant array of potentially debilitating side effects continues to limit their use. Moreover, recent clinical trials have indicated that long-term postmenopausal estrogen therapy may actually be detrimental to cardiovascular health. An exciting new development is the finding that the more recently discovered G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) is expressed in coronary arteries-both in coronary endothelium and in smooth muscle within the vascular wall. Accumulating evidence indicates that GPER activation dilates coronary arteries and can also inhibit the proliferation and migration of coronary smooth muscle cells. Thus, selective GPER activation has the potential to increase coronary blood flow and possibly limit the debilitating consequences of coronary atherosclerotic disease. This review will highlight what is currently known regarding the impact of GPER activation on coronary arteries and the potential signaling mechanisms stimulated by GPER agonists in these vessels. A thorough understanding of GPER function in coronary arteries may promote the development of new therapies that would help alleviate CHD, while limiting the potentially dangerous side effects of estrogen therapy.

G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 mediates relaxation of coronary arteries via cAMP/PKA-dependent activation of MLCP.

Activation of GPER exerts a protective effect in hypertension and ischemia-reperfusion models and relaxes arteries in vitro. However, our understanding of the mechanisms of GPER-mediated vascular regulation is far from complete. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that GPER-induced relaxation of porcine coronary arteries is mediated via cAMP/PKA signaling. Our findings revealed that vascular relaxation to the selective GPER agonist G-1 (0.3-3 µM) was associated with increased cAMP production in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, inhibition of adenylyl cyclase (AC) with SQ-22536 (100 µM) or of PKA activity with either Rp-8-CPT-cAMPS (5 µM) or PKI (5 µM) attenuated G-1-induced relaxation of coronary arteries preconstricted with PGF2α (1 µM). G-1 also increased PKA activity in cultured coronary artery smooth muscle cells (SMCs). To determine downstream signals of the cAMP/PKA cascade, we measured RhoA activity in cultured human and porcine coronary SMCs and myosin-light chain phosphatase (MLCP) activity in these artery rings by immunoblot analysis of phosphorylation of myosin-targeting subunit protein-1 (p-MYPT-1; the MLCP regulatory subunit). G-1 decreased PGF2α-induced p-MYPT-1, whereas Rp-8-CPT-cAMPS prevented this inhibitory effect of G-1. Similarly, G-1 inhibited PGF2α-induced phosphorylation of MLC in coronary SMCs, and this inhibitory effect was also reversed by Rp-8-CPT-cAMPS. RhoA activity was downregulated by G-1, whereas G36 (GPER antagonist) restored RhoA activity. Finally, FMP-API-1 (100 µM), an inhibitor of the interaction between PKA and A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs), attenuated the effect of G-1 on coronary artery relaxation and p-MYPT-1. These findings demonstrate that localized cAMP/PKA signaling is involved in GPER-mediated coronary vasodilation by activating MLCP via inhibition of RhoA pathway.

Activation of GPER Induces Differentiation and Inhibition of Coronary Artery Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation.

BACKGROUND: Vascular pathology and dysfunction are direct life-threatening outcomes resulting from atherosclerosis or vascular injury, which are primarily attributed to contractile smooth muscle cells (SMCs) dedifferentiation and proliferation by re-entering cell cycle. Increasing evidence suggests potent protective effects of G-protein coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) activation against cardiovascular diseases. However, the mechanism underlying GPER function remains poorly understood, especially if it plays a potential role in modulating coronary artery smooth muscle cells (CASMCs). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The objective of our study was to understand the functional role of GPER in CASMC proliferation and differentiation in coronary arteries using from humans and swine models. We found that the GPER agonist, G-1, inhibited both human and porcine CASMC proliferation in a concentration- (10(-8) to 10(-5) M) and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometry revealed that treatment with G-1 significantly decreased the proportion of S-phase and G2/M cells in the growing cell population, suggesting that G-1 inhibits cell proliferation by slowing progression of the cell cycle. Further, G-1-induced cell cycle retardation was associated with decreased expression of cyclin B, up-regulation of cyclin D1, and concomitant induction of p21, and partially mediated by suppressed ERK1/2 and Akt pathways. In addition, G-1 induces SMC differentiation evidenced by increased α-smooth muscle actin (α-actin) and smooth muscle protein 22α (SM22α) protein expressions and inhibits CASMC migration induced by growth medium. CONCLUSION: GPER activation inhibits CASMC proliferation by suppressing cell cycle progression via inhibition of ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation. GPER may constitute a novel mechanism to suppress intimal migration and/or synthetic phenotype of VSMC.

Potential roles of adenosine deaminase-2 in diabetic retinopathy.

The early activation of microglia that induces retinal inflammation in DR may serve as a target for therapeutic intervention of DR. Our demonstration that retinal inflammation is attenuated via adenosine receptor A(2A)AR supports the hypothesis that a mechanism to maintain extracellular concentrations of adenosine important in normal physiology is impaired in DR. Extracellular concentrations of adenosine are regulated by the interplay of equiliberative nucleoside transporter (ENT)s with enzymes of adenosine metabolism including adenosine deaminase-1 (ADA1), adenosine kinase (AK) and CD73. In the vertebrates but not rodents, a macrophage-associated ADA2 is identified. The role of ADA2 is, therefore, understudied as the sequencing probes or antibodies to mouse ADA2 are not available. We identified increased ADA2 expression and activity in human and porcine retinas with diabetes, and in Amadori glycated albumin (AGA)- or hyperglycemia-treated porcine and human microglia. In rodent as well as porcine cells, modulation of TNF-α release is mediated by A(2A)AR. Quantitative analysis of normal and diabetic porcine retinas reveals that while the expression levels of ADA2, A2AAR, ENT1, TNF-α and MMP9 are increased, the levels of AK are reduced during inflammation as an endogenous protective mechanism. To determine the role of ADA2, we found that AGA induces ADA2 expression, ADA2 activity and TNF-α release, and that TNF-α release is blocked by ADA2-neutralizing antibody or ADA2 siRNA, but not by scrambled siRNA. These results suggest that retinal inflammation in DR is mediated by ADA2, and that the anti-inflammatory activity of A(2A)AR signaling is impaired in diabetes due to increased ADA2 activity.

GPER: a novel target for non-genomic estrogen action in the cardiovascular system.

A key to harnessing the enormous therapeutic potential of estrogens is understanding the diversity of estrogen receptors and their signaling mechanisms. In addition to the classic nuclear estrogen receptors (i.e., ERα and ERß), over the past decade a novel G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) has been discovered in cancer and other cell types. More recently, this non-genomic signaling mechanism has been found in blood vessels, and mediates vasodilatory responses to estrogen and estrogen-like agents; however, downstream signaling events involved acute estrogen action remain unclear. The purpose of this review is to discuss the latest knowledge concerning GPER modulation of cardiovascular function, with a particular emphasis upon how activation of this receptor could mediate acute estrogen effects in the heart and blood vessels (i.e., vascular tone, cell growth and differentiation, apoptosis, endothelial function, myocardial protection). Understanding the role of GPER in estrogen signaling may help resolve some of the controversies associated with estrogen and cardiovascular function. Moreover, a more thorough understanding of GPER function could also open significant opportunities for the development of new pharmacological strategies that would provide the cardiovascular benefits of estrogen while limiting the potentially dangerous side effects.

Activation of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor induces endothelium-independent relaxation of coronary artery smooth muscle.

Estrogens can either relax or contract arteries via rapid, nongenomic mechanisms involving classic estrogen receptors (ER). In addition to ERα and ERß, estrogen may also stimulate G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) in nonvascular tissue; however, a potential role for GPER in coronary arteries is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine how GPER activity influenced coronary artery reactivity. In vitro isometric force recordings were performed on endothelium-denuded porcine arteries. These studies were augmented by RT-PCR and single-cell patch-clamp experiments. RT-PCR and immunoblot studies confirmed expression of GPER mRNA and protein, respectively, in smooth muscle from either porcine or human coronary arteries. G-1, a selective GPER agonist, produced a concentration-dependent relaxation of endothelium-denuded porcine coronary arteries in vitro. This response was attenuated by G15, a GPER-selective antagonist, or by inhibiting large-conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK(Ca)) channels with iberiotoxin, but not by inhibiting NO signaling. Last, single-channel patch-clamp studies demonstrated that G-1 stimulates BK(Ca) channel activity in intact smooth muscle cells from either porcine or human coronary arteries but had no effect on channels isolated in excised membrane patches. In summary, GPER activation relaxes coronary artery smooth muscle by increasing potassium efflux via BK(Ca) channels and requires an intact cellular signaling mechanism. This novel action of estrogen-like compounds may help clarify some of the controversy surrounding the vascular effects of estrogens.

Expression of GPR30, ERα and ERß in endometrium during window of implantation in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a pilot study.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) exhibit a lower pregnancy rate, which may be related to decreased estrogen receptor (ER) expression or endometrial receptivity. We measured expression of ERα, ERß and the novel G protein-coupled ER (GPR30) in endometrium during window of implantation (WOI) in PCOS patients. Fifteen Chinese women with PCOS were compared to 15 normal subjects. Serial trans-vaginal ultrasonic scanner (TVUS) examinations detected follicular development, and endometrial thickness and pattern were assessed via TVUS on the day of ovulation. GPR30 expression was detected in the cytoplasm of endometrial epithelial cells, and was significantly lower in the PCOS group (p < 0.05). ERα and ERß expression was lower in the PCOS group, and was detected mainly in the nucleus of endometrial epithelial cells. There was no significant difference in endometrium thickness (p > 0.05), but there was a significant difference in the ultrasonic pattern (p < 0.05). Endometrial expression of GPR30, ERα and ERß was decreased during WOI in PCOS patients, and was accompanied by poor endometrial receptivity, low pregnancy rate and higher spontaneous abortions. We propose that restored receptor expression might improve endometrial receptivity and help lower infertility associated with PCOS.

hElp3 directly modulates the expression of HSP70 gene in HeLa cells via HAT activity.

Human Elongator complex, which plays a key role in transcript elongation in vitro assay, is incredibly similar in either components or function to its yeast counterpart. However, there are only a few studies focusing on its target gene characterization in vivo. We studied the effect of down-regulation of the human elongation protein 3 (hELP3) on the expression of HSP70 through antisense strategy. Transfecting antisense plasmid p1107 into HeLa cells highly suppressed hELP3 expression, and substantially reduced expression of HSP70 mRNA and protein. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP Assay) revealed that hElp3 participates in the transcription elongation of HSPA1A in HeLa cells. Finally, complementation and ChIP Assay in yeast showed that hElp3 can not only complement the growth and slow activation of HSP70 (SSA3) gene transcription, but also directly regulates the transcription of SSA3. On the contrary, these functions are lost when the HAT domain is deleted from hElp3. These data suggest that hElp3 can regulate the transcription of HSP70 gene, and the HAT domain of hElp3 is essential for this function. These findings now provide novel insights and evidence of the functions of hELP3 in human cells.

Estrogen and oxidative stress: A novel mechanism that may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease in women.

Although early studies demonstrated that exogenous estrogen lowered a woman's risk of cardiovascular disease, recent trials indicate that HRT actually increases the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke. However, there is no clear explanation for this discrepancy. Is estrogen a helpful or a harmful hormone in terms of cardiovascular function? This review discusses some recent findings that propose a novel mechanism which may shed significant light upon this controversy. We propose that nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expressed within the vascular wall is a target of estrogen action. Under normal conditions in younger women, the primary product of estrogen action is NO, which produces a number of beneficial effects on vascular biology. As a woman ages, however, there is evidence for loss of important molecules essential for NO production (e.g., tetrahydrobiopterin, l-arginine). As these molecules are depleted, NOS becomes increasingly "uncoupled" from NO production, and instead produces superoxide, a dangerous reactive oxygen species. We propose that a similar uncoupling and reversal of estrogen response occurs in diabetes. Therefore, we propose that estrogen is neither "good" nor "bad", but simply stimulates NOS activity. It is the biochemical environment around NOS that will determine whether estrogen produces a beneficial (NO) or deleterious (superoxide) product, and can account for this dual and opposite nature of estrogen pharmacology. Further, this molecular mechanism is consistent with recent analyses revealing that HRT produces salutary effects in younger women, but mainly increases the risk of cardiovascular dysfunction in older postmenopausal women.

The d5 dopamine receptor mediates large-conductance, calcium- and voltage-activated potassium channel activation in human coronary artery smooth muscle cells.

Large-conductance, calcium- and voltage-activated potassium (BK(Ca)) channels hyperpolarize coronary artery smooth muscle cells, causing vasorelaxation. Dopamine activates BK(Ca) channels by stimulating D(1)-like receptor-mediated increases in cAMP in porcine coronary artery myocytes. There are two D(1)-like receptors (R), D(1)R and D(5)R. We hypothesize that the specific D(1)-like receptor involved in BK(Ca) channel activation in human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMCs) is the D(5)R and that activation occurs via cAMP cross-activation of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), rather than cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). The effects of D(1)-like receptor agonists and antagonists on BK(Ca) channel opening in HCASMCs were examined in the presence and absence of PKG/PKA inhibition by cell-attached patch clamp. In the absence of commercially available ligands specific for D(1)R or D(5)R, D(1)R or D(5)R protein was down-regulated by transfecting HCASMCs with human D(1)R or D(5)R antisense oligonucleotides, respectively: cells transfected with scrambled oligonucleotides and nontransfected HCASMCs served as controls. The predominant ion channel conducting outward currents in nontransfected HCASMCs was identified as the large-conductance, calcium- and voltage-activated potassium (BK(Ca)) channel, which was activated by D(1)-like receptor agonists despite PKA inhibition with (9R,10S,12S)-2,3,9,10,11,12-hexahydro-10-hydroxy-9-methyl-1-oxo-9,12-epoxy-1H-diindolo[1,2,3-fg:3',2',1'-kl]pyrrolo[3,4-i][1,6]benzodiazocine-10-carboxylic acid (KT 5720) (300 nM), but was abolished by inhibiting PKG with 9-methoxy-9-methoxycarbonyl-8-methyl-2,3,9,10-tetrahydro-8,11-epoxy-1H,8H,11H-2,7b-11a-triazadibenzo(a,g) cycloocta(cde)-trinden-1-one (KT 5823) (300 nM). D(1)-like receptor agonists activated BK(Ca) channels in all transfected cells except those transfected with D(5)R antisense oligonucleotides. Thus, the dopamine (D(1)-like) receptor mediates activation of BK(Ca) channels in HCASMCs by D(5)R, not D(1)R, and via PKG, not PKA. This is the first report of differential D(1)-like receptor regulation of vascular smooth muscle function in human cells.

Essential role of the 90-kilodalton heat shock protein in mediating nongenomic estrogen signaling in coronary artery smooth muscle.

Under normal physiological conditions, estrogen is a coronary vasodilator, and this response involves production of NO from endothelial cells. In addition, estrogen also stimulates NO production in coronary artery smooth muscle (CASM); however, the molecular basis for this nongenomic effect of estrogen is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate a potential role for the 90-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp90) in estrogen-stimulated neuronal nitric-oxide synthase (nNOS) activity in coronary artery smooth muscle. 17Beta-estradiol produced a concentration-dependent relaxation of endothelium-denuded porcine coronary arteries in vitro, and this response was attenuated by inhibiting Hsp90 function with 1 microM geldanamycin (GA) or 100 microg/ml radicicol (RAD). These inhibitors also prevented estrogen-stimulated NO production in human CASM cells and reversed the stimulatory effect of estrogen on calcium-activated potassium (BK(Ca)) channels. These functional studies indicated a role for Hsp90 in coupling estrogen receptor activation to NOS stimulation in CASM. Furthermore, coimmunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that estrogen stimulates bimolecular interaction of immunoprecipitated nNOS with Hsp90 and that either GA or RAD could inhibit this association. Blocking estrogen receptors with ICI182780 (fulvestrant) also prevented this association. These findings indicate an essential role for Hsp90 in nongenomic estrogen signaling in CASM and further suggest that Hsp90 might represent a prospective therapeutic target to enhance estrogen-stimulated cardiovascular protection.

Nongenomic, endothelium-independent effects of estrogen on human coronary smooth muscle are mediated by type I (neuronal) NOS and PI3-kinase-Akt signaling.

Sex steroids exert profound and controversial effects on cardiovascular function. For example, estrogens have been reported to either ameliorate or exacerbate coronary heart disease. Although estrogen dilates coronary arteries from a variety of species, the molecular basis for this acute, nongenomic effect is unclear. Moreover, we know very little of how estrogen affects human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMC). The purpose of this study was to elucidate nongenomic estrogen signal transduction in HCASMC. We have used tissue (arterial tension studies), cellular (single-channel patch clamp, fluorescence), and molecular (protein expression) techniques to now identify novel targets of estrogen action in HCASMC: type I (neuronal) nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase)Akt. 17beta-Estradiol (E(2)) increased NO-stimulated fluorescence in HCASMC, and cell-attached patch-clamp experiments revealed that stimulation of nNOS leads to increased activity of calcium-activated potassium (BK(Ca)) channels in these cells. Furthermore, overexpression of nNOS protein in HCASMC greatly enhanced BK(Ca) channel activity. Immunoblot studies demonstrated that E(2) enhances Akt phosphorylation in HCASMC and that wortmannin, an inhibitor of PI3-kinase, attenuated E(2)-stimulated channel activity, NO production, Akt phosphorylation, and estrogen-stimulated coronary relaxation. These studies implicate the PI3-kinase/Akt signaling axis as an estrogen transduction component in vascular smooth muscle cells. We conclude, therefore, that estrogen opens BK(Ca) channels in HCASMC by stimulating nNOS via a transduction sequence involving PI3-kinase and Akt. These findings now provide a molecular mechanism that can explain the clinical observation that estrogen enhances coronary blood flow in patients with diseased or damaged coronary arteries.

Estrogen receptor alpha mediates acute potassium channel stimulation in human coronary artery smooth muscle cells.

The pleiotropic effects of estrogen are mediated via stimulation of two estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes, ERalpha and ERbeta. Although a number of studies have identified expression of one or both subtypes in estrogen target tissues, fewer studies have correlated ER expression with a functional role of these proteins in regulating cellular excitability. In the present study, we have combined cellular fluorescence, immunocytochemistry, and molecular expression techniques with single-channel patch-clamp studies to determine which ER mediates estrogen-stimulated potassium channel activity in human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMC). We had demonstrated previously that estrogen stimulates activity of the large-conductance, calcium- and voltage-activated potassium (BK(Ca)) channel in HCASMC via a nongenomic mechanism. We now demonstrate expression of both ERalpha and ERbeta subtypes in HCASMC. Functionally, however, expression of ERalpha antisense plasmid abolished the acute effect of estrogen on these channels, whereas estrogen retained its ability to stimulate BK(Ca) channels in cells transfected with only green fluorescence protein. In contrast, overexpression of ERalpha enhanced the stimulatory action of estrogen in HCASMC. Transfection with ERalpha antisense/sense plasmid did not alter ERbeta expression. These findings indicate that the ERalpha isoform mediates estrogen-induced stimulation of BK(Ca) channels in HCASMC and thereby provide evidence for a receptor-dependent signaling mechanism that can mediate estrogen-induced inhibition of cellular excitability.

Estrogen-induced contraction of coronary arteries is mediated by superoxide generated in vascular smooth muscle.

Although previous studies demonstrated beneficial effects of estrogen on cardiovascular function, the Women's Health Initiative has reported an increased incidence of coronary heart disease and stroke in postmenopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy. The objective of the present study was to identify a molecular mechanism whereby estrogen, a vasodilatory hormone, could possibly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Isometric contractile force recordings were performed on endothelium-denuded porcine coronary arteries, whereas molecular and fluorescence studies identified estrogen signaling molecules in coronary smooth muscle. Estrogen (1-1,000 nM) relaxed arteries in an endothelium-independent fashion; however, when arteries were pretreated with agents to uncouple nitric oxide (NO) production from NO synthase (NOS), estrogen contracted coronary arteries with an EC(50) of 7.3 +/- 4 nM. Estrogen-induced contraction was attenuated by reducing superoxide (O(2)(-)). Estrogen-stimulated O(2)(-) production was detected in NOS-uncoupled coronary myocytes. Interestingly, only the type 1 neuronal NOS isoform (nNOS) was detected in myocytes, making this protein a likely target mediating both estrogen-induced relaxation and contraction of endothelium-denuded coronary arteries. Estrogen-induced contraction was completely inhibited by 1 muM nifedipine or 10 muM indomethacin, indicating involvement of dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channels and contractile prostaglandins. We propose that a single molecular mechanism can mediate the dual and opposite effect of estrogen on coronary arteries: by stimulating type 1 nNOS in coronary arteries, estrogen produces either vasodilation via NO or vasoconstriction via O(2)(-).