Biomedical subjects

Lubo Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Lubo Zhang.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Maternal cocaine administration causes an epigenetic modification of protein kinase Cepsilon gene expression in fetal rat heart.

Protein kinase Cepsilon (PKCepsilon) plays a pivotal role in cardioprotection during cardiac ischemia and reperfusion injury. Recent studies demonstrated that prenatal cocaine exposure caused a decrease in PKCepsilon expression and increased heart susceptibility to ischemic injury in adult offspring, suggesting an in utero programming of PKCepsilon gene expression pattern in the heart. The present investigation aimed to elucidate whether an epigenetic mechanism, DNA methylation, accounts for cocaine-mediated repression of the PKCepsilon gene in the heart. Pregnant rats were administered either saline or cocaine intraperitoneally (15 mg/kg) twice daily from days 15 to 20 of gestational age, and term fetal hearts were studied. Cocaine treatment significantly decreased PKCepsilon mRNA and protein levels in the heart. CpG dinucleotides found in cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), CREB/c-Jun1, and CREB/c-Jun2 binding sites at the proximal promoter region of the PKCepsilon gene were densely methylated and were not affected by cocaine. In contrast, methylation of CpGs in the activator protein 1 (AP-1) binding sites was low but was significantly increased by cocaine. Reporter gene assays showed that the AP-1 binding site played a strong stimulatory role of PKCepsilon gene transcription. Methylation of the AP-1 binding sites significantly decreased AP-1 binding to the PKCepsilon promoter. Supershift analyses implicated c-Jun homodimers binding to the AP-1 binding sites. Cocaine did not affect nuclear c-Jun levels or the binding of c-Jun to the unmethylated AP-1 binding sites. The results indicate a role for DNA methylation in cocaine-mediated PKCepsilon gene repression in the developing heart and suggest an epigenetic mechanism affecting this gene linked with vulnerability of ischemic injury in the heart of adult offspring.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Myocyte enlargement, differentiation, and proliferation kinetics in the fetal sheep heart.

The generation of new myocytes is an essential process of in utero heart growth. Most, or all, cardiac myocytes lose their capacity for proliferation during the perinatal period through the process of terminal differentiation. An increasing number of studies focus on how experimental interventions affect cardiac myocyte growth in the fetal sheep. Nevertheless, fundamental questions about normal growth of the fetal heart remain unanswered. In this study, we determined that during the last third of gestation the hearts of fetal sheep grew primarily by four processes. 1) Myocyte proliferation contributed substantially to daily cardiac mass gain, and the number of cardiac myocytes continued to increase to term. 2) The (hitherto unrecognized) contribution to cardiac growth by the increase in myocyte size associated with the transition from mononucleation to binucleation (terminal differentiation) became considerable from approximately 115 days of gestational age (dGA) until term (145dGA). Because binucleation became the more frequent outcome of myocyte cell cycle activity after approximately 115dGA, the number of binucleated myocytes increased at the expense of the number of mononucleated myocytes. Both the interval between nuclear divisions and the duration of cell cycle activity in myocytes decreased substantially during this same period. Finally, cardiac growth was in part due to enlargement of 3) mononucleated and 4) binucleated myocytes, which grew in cross-sectional diameter but not length during the last third of gestation. These data on normal cardiac growth may enable a more detailed understanding of the consequences of experimental and pathological interventions in prenatal life.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Fetal and neonatal nicotine exposure differentially regulates vascular contractility in adult male and female offspring.

Epidemiologic studies suggest that prenatal exposure to maternal cigarette smoking is associated with an increased risk of elevated blood pressure in postnatal life. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that fetal and neonatal nicotine exposure increased vascular contractility in adult offspring. Nicotine was administered to pregnant rats via s.c. osmotic minipumps throughout gestation and up to 10 days after delivery. Aortas were isolated from adult male and female offspring at the age of 3 months old. Nicotine significantly increased KCl- and norepinephrine-induced contractions of the aorta in male, but not female, offspring. Inhibition of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) significantly increased norepinephrine-induced contractions in control male offspring but showed no effect in nicotine-treated male offspring. In the presence of L-NNA, there was no significant difference in norepinephrine-induced contractions between control and nicotine-treated males. In contrast, nicotine caused a significant increase in L-NNA-mediated potentiation of norepinephrine-induced contractions in female offspring. Nicotine had no effect on sodium nitroprusside-induced endothelium-independent relaxations of aortas from either male or female offspring. However, it decreased endothelium-dependent relaxations induced by acetylcholine in male offspring but increased them in females. There were no differences in eNOS protein levels in aortas between the control and nicotine-treated animals in either male or female offspring. The results suggest that fetal and neonatal nicotine exposure alters vascular functions in adult offspring in a gender-specific manner, which may lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular dysfunction in later life.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Regulation of alpha1-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions of uterine arteries by PKC: effect of pregnancy.

Protein kinase C (PKC) plays an important role in the regulation of uterine artery contractility and its adaptation to pregnancy. The present study tested the hypothesis that PKC differentially regulates alpha(1)-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions of uterine arteries isolated from nonpregnant (NPUA) and near-term pregnant (PUA) sheep. Phenylephrine-induced contractions of NPUA and PUA sheep were determined in the absence or presence of the PKC activator phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu). In NPUA sheep, PDBu produced a concentration-dependent potentiation of phenylephrine-induced contractions and shifted the dose-response curve to the left. In contrast, in PUA sheep, PDBu significantly inhibited phenylephrine-induced contractions and decreased their maximum response. Simultaneous measurement of contractions and intracellular free Ca(2+) concentrations ([Ca(2+)](i)) in the same tissues revealed that PDBu inhibited phenylephrine-induced [Ca(2+)](i) and contractions in PUA sheep. In NPUA sheep, PDBu increased phenylephrine-induced contractions without changing [Ca(2+)](i). Western blot analysis showed six PKC isozymes, alpha, beta(I), beta(II), delta, epsilon, and zeta, in uterine arteries, among which beta(I), beta(II), and zeta isozymes were significantly increased in PUA sheep. In contrast, PKC-alpha was decreased in PUA sheep. In addition, analysis of subcellular distribution revealed a significant decrease in the particulate-to-cytosolic ratio of PKC-epsilon in PUA compared with that in NPUA sheep. The results suggest that pregnancy induces a reversal of PKC regulatory role on alpha(1)-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions from a potentiation in NPUA sheep to an inhibition in PUA sheep. The differential expression of PKC isozymes and their subcellular distribution in uterine arteries appears to play an important role in the regulation of Ca(2+) mobilization and Ca(2+) sensitivity in alpha(1)-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions and their adaptation to pregnancy.

Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Agonists↗

PubMed2006

Regulation of baseline Ca2+ sensitivity in permeabilized uterine arteries: effect of pregnancy.

The adaptation of contractile mechanisms of the uterine artery to pregnancy is not fully understood. The present study examined the effect of pregnancy on the uterine artery baseline Ca2+ sensitivity. In beta-escin-permeabilized arterial preparations, Ca2+ -induced concentration-dependent contractions were significantly decreased in uterine arteries from pregnant animals compared with those of nonpregnant animals. Time-course studies showed that Ca2+ increased phosphorylation of 20-kDa myosin light chain (MLC20), which preceded the tension development in vessels from both pregnant and nonpregnant animals. When compared with vessels from nonpregnant animals, there was a significant increase in the protein level of MLC20 and an accordance increase in the level of Ca2+ -induced phosphorylated MLC20 (MLC20-P) in uterine arteries during pregnancy. Simultaneous measurements of MCL20-P levels and contractions stimulated with Ca2+ in the same tissues demonstrated a significant attenuation in the tension-to-MLC20-P ratio in uterine arteries during pregnancy. Activation of PKC with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) potentiated Ca2+ -induced contractions in uterine arteries from nonpregnant but not pregnant animals. Accordingly, inhibition of PKC attenuated Ca2+ -induced contractions in uterine arteries from nonpregnant but not pregnant animals. PDBu produced contractions in the presence or absence of Ca2+ in the beta-escin-permeabilized arteries, which were significantly decreased in uterine arteries from pregnant compared with nonpregnant animals. The results suggest that pregnancy upregulates the thick-filament regulatory pathway by increasing MLC20 phosphorylation but downregulates the thin-filament regulatory pathway by decreasing the contractile sensitivity of MLC20-P, resulting in attenuated baseline Ca2+ sensitivity in the uterine artery. In addition, PKC plays an important role in the regulation of basal Ca2+ sensitivity, which is downregulated during pregnancy.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Chronic hypoxic decreases in soluble guanylate cyclase protein and enzyme activity are age dependent in fetal and adult ovine carotid arteries.

The present study tests the hypothesis that chronic hypoxia enhances reactivity to nitric oxide (NO) through age-dependent increases in soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) and protein kinase G (PKG) activity. In term fetal and adult ovine carotids, chronic hypoxia had no significant effect on mRNA levels for the beta1-subunit of sGC, but depressed sGC abundance by 16% in fetal and 50% in adult arteries, through possible depression of rates of mRNA translation (15% in fetal and 50% in adult) and/or increased protein turnover. Chronic hypoxia also depressed the catalytic activity of sGC, but only in fetal arteries (63%). Total sGC activity was reduced by chronic hypoxia in both fetal (69%) and adult (37%) carotid homogenates, but this effect was not observed in intact arteries when sGC activity was measured by timed accumulation of cGMP. In intact arteries treated with 300 microM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), chronic hypoxia dramatically enhanced sGC activity in fetal (186%) but not adult (89%) arteries. This latter observation suggests that homogenization either removed an sGC activator, released an sGC inhibitor, or altered the phosphorylation state of the enzyme, resulting in reduced activity. In the absence of IBMX, chronic hypoxia had no significant effect on rates of cGMP accumulation. Chronic hypoxia also depressed the ability of the cGMP analog, 8-(p-chlorophenylthio)-cGMP, to promote vasorelaxation in both fetal (8%) and adult (12%) arteries. Together, these results emphasize the fact that intact and homogenized artery studies of sGC activity do not always yield equivalent results. The results further suggest that enhancement of reactivity to NO by chronic hypoxia must occur upstream of PKG and can only be possible if changes in cGMP occurred in functional compartments that afforded either temporal or chemical protection to the actions of phosphodiesterase. The range and age dependence of hypoxic effects observed also suggest that some responses to hypoxia must be compensatory and homeostatic, with reactivity to NO as the primary regulated variable.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

PubMed2006

Pregnancy attenuates uterine artery pressure-dependent vascular tone: role of PKC/ERK pathway.

The mechanisms of adaptation of uterine artery vascular tone to pregnancy are not fully understood. The present study tested the hypothesis that pregnancy decreases the PKC-mediated Ca(2+) sensitivity of the contractile process and attenuates myogenic tone in resistance-sized uterine arteries. In pressurized uterine arteries from nonpregnant (NPUA) and near-term pregnant (PUA) sheep, we measured, simultaneously in the same tissue, vascular diameter and vessel wall intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) as a function of intraluminal pressure. In both NPUA and PUA, membrane depolarization with KCl caused a rapid increase in [Ca(2+)](i) and a decrease in diameter. A pressure increase from 20 to 100 mmHg resulted in a transient increase in diameter that was associated with an increase in [Ca(2+)](i), followed by myogenic contractions in the absence of further changes in [Ca(2+)](i). In addition, activation of PKC by phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate induced a decrease in diameter in the absence of changes in [Ca(2+)](i). Pressure-dependent myogenic responses were significantly decreased in PUA compared with NPUA. However, pressure-induced increases in [Ca(2+)](i) were not significantly different between PUA and NPUA. The ratio of changes in diameter to changes in [Ca(2+)](i) was significantly greater for pressure-induced contraction of NPUA than that of PUA. Inhibition of PKC by calphostin C significantly attenuated the pressure-induced vascular tone and eliminated the difference of myogenic responses between NPUA and PUA. In contrast, the MAPKK (MEK) inhibitor PD-098059 had no effect on NPUA but significantly enhanced myogenic responses of PUA. In the presence of PD-098059, there was no difference in pressure-induced myogenic responses between NPUA and PUA. The results suggest that pregnancy downregulates pressure-dependent myogenic tone of the uterine artery, which is partly due to increased MEK/ERK activity and decreased PKC signal pathway leading to a decrease in Ca(2+) sensitivity of myogenic mechanism in the uterine artery during pregnancy.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Gender differences in cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion injury in adult rat hearts: focus on Akt and protein kinase C signaling.

Previous studies have reported the sex differences in heart susceptibility to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, but the mechanisms are not understood. The present study tested the hypothesis that Akt and protein kinase C (PKC)epsilon play an important role in the sexual dimorphism of heart susceptibility to I/R injury. Isolated hearts from 2-month-old male and female rats were subjected to I/R in the Langendorff preparation. The postischemic recovery of left ventricular function was significantly better, and infarct size was significantly smaller in female (37.1 +/- 1.9%) than in male (48.3 +/- 2.3%) hearts after 25-min ischemia followed by 2-h reperfusion. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway by wortmannin or PKC by chelerythrine chloride before ischemia significantly reduced postischemic recovery and increased infarct size in female but not male hearts. There were no differences in myocardial protein levels of heat shock protein 70, Akt, and PKCepsilon, respectively, between male and female rats. However, the ratio of phosphorylated (p)-Akt/Akt (0.58 +/- 0.05 versus 0.22 +/- 0.04; P < 0.05) and p-PKCepsilon/PKCepsilon (0.35 +/- 0.03 versus 0.22 +/- 0.02; P < 0.05) was significantly higher in female than in male hearts. In addition, there were significant increases in p-Akt and p-PKCepsilon levels during reperfusion in female but not in male hearts. The results suggest that increased p-Akt and p-PKCepsilon levels in female hearts contribute to the gender-related differences in heart susceptibility to I/R and play an important role in cardioprotection against I/R injury in females.

Alkaloids↗

PubMed2005

Effects of cocaine on nitric oxide production in bovine coronary artery endothelial cells.

Cocaine decreases coronary artery endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation. To explore the potential mechanisms, the present study examined the effect of cocaine on nitric oxide release in bovine coronary artery endothelial cells (BCAECs). In the absence of cocaine, basal nitric oxide release from BCAECs continued to accumulate in the medium over the period from 6 to 72 h. Cocaine significantly decreased nitric oxide release at each time point of the study. At 48-h treatment, cocaine (3-30 muM) produced a concentration-dependent decrease in nitric oxide release in BCAECs. In accordance with its inhibition of nitric oxide release, cocaine decreased endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) protein levels in BCAECs in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition to the prolonged effect, cocaine pretreatment for 1 h significantly decreased basal and ATP-induced nitric oxide release in BCAECs. Whereas acute cocaine treatment did not affect basal levels of free intracellular calcium concentrations in BCAECs, it significantly decreased the ATP-induced elevation of intracellular calcium and increased its time lag to reach the peak. A quantitative approach by immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that cocaine significantly increased eNOS localized at the cell membrane in BCAECs. Collectively, the results suggest that cocaine inhibits nitric oxide release in BCAECs by decreasing intracellular calcium mobilization, increasing the inactive state of eNOS, and decreasing eNOS protein levels.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed2005

Prenatal cocaine exposure increases heart susceptibility to ischaemia-reperfusion injury in adult male but not female rats.

The present study tested the hypothesis that prenatal cocaine exposure differentially regulates heart susceptibility to ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in adult offspring male and female rats. Pregnant rats were administered intraperitoneally either saline or cocaine (15 mg kg(-1)) twice daily from day 15 to day 21 of gestational age. There were no differences in maternal weight gain and birth weight between the two groups. Hearts were isolated from 2-month-old male and female offspring and were subjected to I/R (25 min/60 min) in a Langendorff preparation. Preischaemic values of left ventricular (LV) function were the same between the saline control and cocaine-treated hearts for both male and female rats. Prenatal cocaine exposure significantly increased I/R-induced myocardial apoptosis and infarct size, and significantly attenuated the postischaemic recovery of LV function in adult male offspring. In contrast, cocaine did not affect I/R-induced injury and postischaemic recovery of LV function in the female hearts. There was a significant decrease in PKCepsilon and phospho-PKCepsilon levels in LV in the male, but not female, offspring exposed to cocaine before birth. These results suggest that prenatal cocaine exposure causes a sex-specific increase in heart susceptibility to I/R injury in adult male offspring, and the decreased PKCepsilon gene expression in the male heart may play an important role.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Alpha1-adrenoceptor-mediated phosphorylation of MYPT-1 and CPI-17 in the uterine artery: role of ERK/PKC.

We previously demonstrated that ERK/PKC signaling pathways play a key role in regulation of Ca(2+) sensitivity and contractility of the uterine artery. The present study tested the hypothesis that ERK and PKC differentially regulated myosin light chain phosphatase activity by phosphorylation of myosin phosphatase target protein-1 (MYPT-1) and CPI-17. Agonist-induced contractions and phosphorylation of MYPT-1/Thr(696), MYPT-1/Thr(850), and CPI-17/Thr(38) were measured simultaneously in the same tissues of isolated near-term pregnant ovine uterine arteries. Phenylephrine produced time-dependent concurrent increases in the phosphorylation of ERK(44/42) and MYPT-1/Thr(850) that preceded contractions. In addition, phenylephrine induced phosphorylation of CPI-17/Thr(38) that was concurrent with the contractions. In contrast, phenylephrine did not induce phosphorylation of MYPT-1/Thr(696) in the uterine artery. PD-098059 inhibited phosphorylation of ERK(44/42) and the initial peak phosphorylation of MYPT-1/Thr(850) but did not affect CPI-17/Thr(38) phosphorylation. Activation of PKC by phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate induced a time-dependent phosphorylation of CPI-17/Thr(38) that preceded contractions of the uterine artery. In addition, phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate activated PKC-alpha and induced a coimmunoprecipitation of PKC-alpha with caldesmon. The results suggest that phosphorylation of MYPT-1/Thr(850) and CPI-17/Thr(38) play important roles in regulation of agonist-mediated Ca(2+) sensitivity in the uterine artery, in part by ERK and PKC, respectively. In addition, phosphorylated CPI-17 may regulate Ca(2+) sensitivity by interacting with caldesmon and reversing its inhibitory effect on myosin ATPase.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Prenatal hypoxia and cardiac programming.

Epidemiologic studies have shown a clear association of adverse intrauterine environment and an increased risk of hypertension and coronary heart disease in the adult. Many studies have been focused on the effects of maternal undernutrition and fetal glucocorticoid exposure on fetal programming and later adult disease. Although it is relatively less clear, there is evidence that fetal exposure to hypoxia, alcohol, tobacco smoking, and cocaine may also cause in utero programming leading to an increased risk of adult disease. Chronic hypoxia during the course of pregnancy is thought to result in fetal intrauterine growth retardation. Among other effects, chronic hypoxia suppresses fetal cardiac function, alters cardiac gene expression, increases myocyte apoptosis, and results in a premature exit of the cell cycle of cardiomyocytes and myocyte hypertrophy. This review discusses recent evidence of an association of prenatal hypoxic exposure with an increased vulnerability of adult heart disease, and the possible mechanisms involved.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Prenatal cocaine exposure increases apoptosis of neonatal rat heart and heart susceptibility to ischemia-reperfusion injury in 1-month-old rat.

Maternal cocaine administration during pregnancy increased apoptosis in near-term fetal rat heart. The present study tested the hypothesis that prenatal cocaine exposure increases the heart susceptibility to ischemia/reperfusion injury in the offspring. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats received cocaine (30 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) or saline from days 15 to 21 of gestational age. Maternal body weights were not significantly different at the end of cocaine treatment, but body weights of offspring were decreased slightly at ages of 1, 3, and 7 days. Although heart-to-body weight ratio was not affected at all ages examined, prenatal cocaine significantly increased left ventricular myocyte size at an age of 30 days. Additionally, prenatal cocaine increased DNA fragmentation measured in the hearts isolated from offspring of 1, 3, 7, and 21 days, but not of 30 days, with the peak at 3-day neonates. Antiapoptotic (Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L)) and proapoptotic (Bax and Bad) proteins were expressed in neonatal rat hearts of both groups. Prenatal cocaine exposure decreased levels of Bcl-2 in 21-day and increased Bax in 21- and 30-day rat hearts. In addition, hearts of 30-day-old male progeny were studied using the Langendorff preparation, and were subjected to 25 min of ischemia and 60 min of reperfusion. Preischemic baseline values of left ventricular (LV) function were the same between the two groups. However, prenatal cocaine exposure significantly attenuated postischemic recovery of LV function, and significantly increased elevated LV end diastolic pressure during reperfusion. This was associated with a significant increase in ischemia/reperfusion-induced LV myocardial infarct size. The results suggest that prenatal cocaine exposure induces abnormal apoptosis and myocyte hypertrophy in postnatal heart, leading to an increased heart susceptibility to ischemic insults in postnatal life.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

PKC-induced ERK1/2 interactions and downstream effectors in ovine cerebral arteries.

Both protein kinase C (PKC) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) are involved in mediating vascular smooth muscle contraction. We tested the hypotheses that in addition to PKC activation of ERK1/2, by negative feedback ERKs modulate PKC-induced contraction, and that their interactions modulate both thick and thin myofilament pathways. In ovine middle cerebral arteries (MCA), we measured isometric tension and intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) responses to PKC stimulation [phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), 3 x 10(-6) M] in the absence or presence of ERK1/2 inhibition (U-0126, 10(-5) M). After PDBu +/- ERK1/2 inhibition, we also examined by Western immunoblot the levels of total and phosphorylated ERK1/2, caldesmon(Ser789), myosin light chain(20) (MLC(20)), and CPI-17. PDBu induced significant increase in tension in the absence of increased [Ca(2+)](i). PDBu also increased phosphorylated ERK1/2 levels, a response blocked by U-0126. In turn, U-0126 augmented PDBu-induced contractions. PDBu also was associated with significant increases in phosphorylated caldesmon(Ser789) and MLC(20) levels, each of which peaked at 5 to 10 min. PDBu also increased phosphorylated CPI-17 levels, which peaked at 2 to 3 min. Rho kinase inhibition (Y-27632, 3 x 10(-7) M) did not alter PDBu-induced contraction. These results support the idea that PKC activation can increase CPI-17 phosphorylation to decrease myosin light chain phosphatase activity. In turn, this increases MLC(20) phosphorylation in the thick filament pathway and increases Ca(2+) sensitivity. In addition, ERK1/2-dependent phosphorylation of caldesmon(Ser789) was not necessary for PDBu-induced contraction and appears not to be involved in the reversal of caldesmon's inhibitory effect on actin-myosin ATPase.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Cocaine induces apoptosis in fetal rat myocardial cells through the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and mitochondrial/cytochrome c pathways.

Cocaine induces apoptosis in fetal rat myocardial cells (FRMCs). However, the mechanisms are not clear. The present study examined the role of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and cytochrome c release in the cocaine-induced apoptosis in primary culture of FRMCs prepared from the fetal heart of gestational age of 21 days. Cocaine induced time-dependent, concurrent increases in cytochrome c release and activities of caspase-9 and caspase-3, which preceded apoptosis. Caspase-8 was not activated. In accordance, cyclosporin A and the inhibitors of caspase-9 and caspase-3 inhibited cocaine-induced caspase activation and apoptosis. Cocaine stimulated a transient increase in the p38 MAPK activity at a time point of 15 min but reduced the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity at 5 and 15 min in FRMCs. The p38alpha MAPK inhibitor SB203580 [4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)1H-imidazole] inhibited cocaine-induced activation of caspases and apoptosis. In contrast, the p38beta MAPK and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/ERK inhibitors SB 202190 [4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)-1H-imidazole] and PD98059 (2'-amino-3'-methoxyflavone), respectively, increased apoptosis in the absence of cocaine and potentiated cocaine-induced apoptosis. Consistent with its inhibition of apoptosis, SB203580 inhibited cocaine-induced cytochrome c release and activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. In addition, cocaine induced a decrease in Bcl-2 protein levels, with no effect on Bax levels. The cocaine-mediated reduction of Bcl-2 levels was not affected with SB203580 and the caspase inhibitors. The results suggest that in FRMCs, p38alpha MAPK plays an important role in the cocaine-induced apoptosis by promoting cytochrome c release, downstream or independent of Bcl-2 protein-mediated regulation. In contrast, p38beta MAPK and ERK protect fetal myocardial cells against apoptosis.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Adaptation of uterine artery thick- and thin-filament regulatory pathways to pregnancy.

Little is known about the adaptation of uterine artery smooth muscle contractile mechanisms to pregnancy. The present study tested the hypothesis that pregnancy differentially regulates thick- and thin-filament regulatory pathways in uterine arteries. Isometric tension, intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration, and phosphorylation of 20-kDa myosin light chain (MLC(20)) were measured simultaneously in uterine arteries isolated from nonpregnant and near-term (140 days gestation) pregnant sheep. Phenylephrine-mediated intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration, MLC(20) phosphorylation, and contraction tension were significantly increased in uterine arteries of pregnant compared with nonpregnant animals. In contrast, phenylephrine-mediated Ca(2+) sensitivity of MLC(20) phosphorylation was decreased in the uterine arteries of pregnant sheep. Simultaneous measurement of phenylephrine-stimulated tension and MLC(20) phosphorylation in the same tissue indicated a decrease in MLC(20) phosphorylation-independent contractions in the uterine arteries of pregnant sheep. In addition, activation of PKC produced significantly lower sustained contractions in uterine arteries of pregnant compared with nonpregnant animals in the absence of changes in MLC(20) phosphorylation levels in either vessels. In uterine arteries of nonpregnant sheep, the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor PD-098059 significantly increased phenylephrine-mediated, MLC(20) phosphorylation-independent contractions. The results suggest that in uterine arteries, pregnancy upregulates alpha(1)-adrenoceptor-mediated Ca(2+) mobilization and MLC(20) phosphorylation. In contrast, pregnancy downregulates the Ca(2+) sensitivity of myofilaments, which is mediated by both thick- and thin-filament pathways.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed2004

Effect of prenatal hypoxia on heat stress-mediated cardioprotection in adult rat heart.

Fetal programming has profound effects on cardiovascular function in later adult life. We tested the hypothesis that chronic hypoxic exposure during fetal development downregulates endogenous cardioprotective mechanisms in adult rats. Time-dated pregnant rats were divided between normoxic and hypoxic (10.5% O2 from days 15 to 21 of gestation) groups. The male progeny were studied at 2 mo of age. Rats were subjected to heat stress (42 degrees C for 15 min). After 24 h, hearts were excised and subjected to 30 min of global ischemia and 1 h of reperfusion. Prenatal hypoxia did not change adult rat body weight and heart weight, but significantly increased the cross-sectional area of a left ventricular (LV) myocyte. Heat stress significantly improved postischemic recovery of LV function in normoxic control rats, but not in prenatally hypoxic rats. The infarct size in the LV resulting from ischemia-reperfusion was reduced by the heat stress pretreatment in control rats, but not in prenatally hypoxic rats. In accordance, heat stress significantly increased LV myocardial content of heat shock protein 70 only in normoxic control rats. In addition, there was a significant decrease in the LV myocardial content of the PKC-epsilon isoform in prenatally hypoxic rats compared with control rats. We conclude that prenatal hypoxia causes in utero programming of hsp70 gene in the LV, leading to an inhibition of its response to heat stress and a loss of cardioprotection in later adult life.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

ERK-mediated uterine artery contraction: role of thick and thin filament regulatory pathways.

We have demonstrated that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) plays an important role in the regulation of uterine artery contraction. The present study tested the hypothesis that ERK regulates thick and thin filament regulatory pathways in the uterine artery. Isometric tension, intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), and 20-kDa myosin light chain (LC20) phosphorylation were measured simultaneously in uterine arteries isolated from near-term (140 days gestation) pregnant sheep. Phenylephrine produced time-dependent increases in [Ca2+]i and LC20 phosphorylation that preceded the contraction, which were inhibited by the MEK (ERK) inhibitor PD-098059. In addition, PD-098059 decreased the intercept of the regression line of LC20 phosphorylation vs. [Ca2+]i but increased the rate of tension development vs. LC20 phosphorylation. In contrast to phenylephrine, phorbol 12,13-bibutyrate (PDBu) produced contractions without changing [Ca2+]i or LC20 phosphorylation. PD-098059 potentiated PDBu-induced contractions without affecting [Ca2+]i and LC20 phosphorylation. PDBu produced time-dependent increases in phosphorylation of p42 and p44 ERK and ERK-dependent phosphorylation of caldesmon at Ser789 in the uterine artery. PD-098059 blocked PDBu-mediated phosphorylation of p42 and p44 ERK and caldesmon. The results indicate that ERK may regulate force by a dual regulation of thick and thin filaments in uterine artery smooth muscle. ERK potentiates the thick filament regulatory pathway by enhancing LC20 phosphorylation via increases in [Ca2+]i and Ca2+ sensitivity of LC20 phosphorylation. In contrast, ERK attenuates the thin filament regulatory pathway and suppresses contractions independent of changes in LC20 phosphorylation in the uterine artery.

Animals↗