Superoxide constricts rat pulmonary arteries via Rho-kinase-mediated Ca2+ sensitization

Greg A. Knock, Vladimir A. Snetkov, Yasin Shaifta, Michelle Connolly, Svetlana Drndarslci, Anthony Noah, Ghazaleh E. Pourlrlahram, Silke Becker, Philip I. Aaronson, Jeremy P. T. Ward

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    92 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Reactive oxygen species play a key role in vascular disease, pulmonary hypertension, and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. We investigated contractile responses, intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+](i)), Rho-kinase translocation, and phosphorylation of the regulatory subunit of myosin phosphatase (MYPT-1) and of myosin light chain (MLC20) in response to LY83583, a generator of superoxide anion, in small intrapulmonary arteries (IPA) of rat. LY83583 Caused concentration-dependent constrictions in IPA and greatly enhanced submaximal PGF(2 alpha)-mediated preconstriction. In small femoral or mesenteric arteries of rat, LY83583 alone was without effect, but it relaxed a PGF(2)alpha-mediated preconstriction. Constrictions in IPA were inhibited by superoxide dismutase and tempol, but not catalase, anti were endothelium and guanylate cyclase independent. Constrictions were also inhibited by the Rho-kinase inhibitor Y27632 and the Src-family kinase inhibitor SU6656. LY83583 did not raise [Ca2+](i), but caused a Y27632-sensitive constriction in alpha-toxin-permeabilized IPA. LY83583 triggered translocation of Rho-kinase from the nucleus to the cytosol in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells and enhanced phosphorylation of MYPT-1 at Thr-855 and of MLC20 at Ser-19 in IPA. This enhancement was inhibited by superoxide dismutase and abolished by Y27632. Hydrogen peroxide did not activate Rho-kinase. We conclude that in rat small pulmonary artery, superoxide triggers Rho-kinase-mediated Ca2+ sensitization and vasoconstriction independent of hydrogen peroxide. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)633 - 642
    Number of pages10
    JournalFree Radical Biology and Medicine
    Volume46
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2009

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