title: Stretch activates Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase in vascular smooth muscle cells through mechanisms involving autocrine ATP stimulation of purinoceptors.
abstract: Mechanical strain has been implicated in phenotypic changes, including alteration of gene expression in vascular smooth muscle cells; however, the molecular basis for mechanotransduction leading to nuclear gene expression is largely unknown. We demonstrate in the present study that cyclic stretching of vascular smooth muscle cells dramatically activates Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) through an autocrine mechanism. Stretch causes time- and strength-dependent rise of the ATP concentration in media. The stretch-induced activation JNK/SAPK is attenuated by the addition of hexokinase or apyrase that scavenge ATP in media. Both the P2 receptor antagonist and the A1 subtype-selective P1 receptor antagonist partially inhibit stretch-induced activation of JNK/SAPK. The conditioned medium from stretched cells contains an activity to stimulate JNK/SAPK. The JNK-stimulating activity in the conditioned medium from stretched cells is attenuated by the addition of apyrase or P1 and P2 receptor antagonists. The addition of exogenous ATP or adenosine induces dose-dependent activation of JNK/SAPK. These results indicate that stretch activates JNK/SAPK in vascular smooth muscle cells through mechanisms involving autocrine stimulation of purinoceptors by ATP and its hydrolyzed product adenosine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takuwa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takuwa
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology; D019898:Autocrine Communication; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D044162:Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011506:Proteins; D058914:Purinergic Antagonists; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D044162:Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011506:Proteins; D058914:Purinergic Antagonists; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic; C071784:parathyroid hormone-related protein (107-111); D000804:Angiotensin II; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases