title: Inhibition of Rho protein stimulates iNOS expression in rat vascular smooth muscle cells.
abstract: Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is upregulated in arterial injury and plays a role in regulating VSMC proliferation and restenosis. Inflammatory cytokines [e.g., interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta)] released during vascular injury induce iNOS. Small GTP-binding proteins of the Ras superfamily play a major role in IL-1beta-dependent signaling pathways. In this study, we examined the role of Rho GTPases in regulating iNOS expression in VSMCs. Treatment of VSMCs with mevastatin, which inhibits isoprenylation of Rho and other small GTP-binding proteins, produced significantly higher amounts of IL-1beta-evoked NO and iNOS protein compared with control. Similarly, bacterial toxins [Toxin B from Clostridium difficile and C3 ADP-ribosyl transferase (C3) toxin from Clostridium botulinium] that specifically inactivate Rho proteins increased NOS products (NO and citrulline) and iNOS expression. Toxin B increased the activity of iNOS promoter-reporter construct in VSMCs. Both toxins enhanced IL-1beta-stimulated iNOS expression and NO production. These data demonstrate for the first time that inhibition of Rho induces iNOS and suggest a role for Rho protein in IL-1beta-stimulated NO production in VSMCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muniyappa
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sowers
mesh_terms: D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D001905:Botulinum Toxins; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D011392:Proline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013859:Thiocarbamates / Q000494:pharmacology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D013859:Thiocarbamates; C031815:toxB protein, Clostridium difficile; C066229:prolinedithiocarbamate; C012258:mevastatin; D011392:Proline; D008148:Lovastatin; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; C063007:exoenzyme C3, Clostridium botulinum; D001905:Botulinum Toxins; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins