title: Serotonin inhibits nitric oxide synthesis in rat vascular smooth muscle cells stimulated with interleukin-1.
abstract: We investigated the effects of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) on nitric oxide (NO) synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells. We measured the production of nitrite, a stable metabolite of NO, and the expression of inducible NO synthase protein in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells. Incubation of the cultures with interleukin-1beta (10 ng/ml) caused a significant increase in nitrite production. 5-HT inhibited nitrite production by interleukin-1beta -stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells in a concentration-dependent manner (10(-8)-10(-5) M). 5-HT-induced inhibition of nitrite production was accompanied by decreased inducible NO synthase protein accumulation in vascular smooth muscle cells. Addition of the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist ketanserin, but not the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist spiroxatrine, inhibited the effect of 5-HT. On the other hand, the 5-HT2 receptor agonist alpha-methyl-5-HT, but not the 5-HT1A receptor agonist (+/-)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin, decreased interleukin-1beta-induced nitrite production by vascular smooth muscle cells. 5-HT significantly increased protein kinase C activity in vascular smooth muscle cells, and the protein kinase C inhibitor calphostin C dose-dependently abolished the effect of 5-HT on nitrite production. After protein kinase C activity was functionally depleted by treatment of cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate for 24 h, the effect of 5-HT was abolished. These results indicate that 5-HT acts on 5-HT2 receptors and inhibits NO synthesis in interleukin-1beta-stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells at least partially through a protein kinase C-dependent pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Jichi Medical School, Minamikawachi, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimpo
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurosaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004347:Drug Interactions; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D012701:Serotonin; D011493:Protein Kinase C