title: Selected contribution: HSP20 phosphorylation in nitroglycerin- and forskolin-induced sustained reductions in swine carotid media tone.
abstract: Cyclic nucleotide-induced relaxation of maximally activated arterial smooth muscle has two phases. 1) The initial relaxation transient is typically characterized by a rapid reduction in force associated with brief reductions in myoplasmic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) and myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC) phosphorylation on serine (Ser)-19 (Ser(19)). 2) The sustained inhibitory response is typically associated with Ser(16) phosphorylation of heat shock protein 20 (HSP20) without sustained reductions in [Ca(2+)](i) or MRLC phosphorylation. We investigated whether the extent of Ser(16)-HSP20 phosphorylation quantitatively correlated with the sustained inhibitory response. With addition of nitroglycerin to histamine-stimulated swine carotid media, the initial relaxation transient was associated with a decrease in MRLC phosphorylation without an increase in Ser(16)-HSP20 phosphorylation. During the sustained phase of nitroglycerin-induced relaxation and during force redevelopment induced by washout of nitroglycerin in the continued presence of histamine, the level of Ser(16)-HSP20 phosphorylation, but not MRLC phosphorylation, correlated with inhibition of force. Forskolin, which increases cAMP concentration, also induced a sustained inhibitory response that was associated with increases in Ser(16)-HSP20 phosphorylation without reductions in MRLC phosphorylation levels. Forskolin increased Ser(16)-HSP20 phosphorylation to a greater extent and inhibited force more completely than that observed with nitroglycerin. Increases in Ser(16)-HSP20 phosphorylation correlated with the degree of force inhibition regardless of whether the relaxation was induced by nitroglycerin or forskolin. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that Ser(16)-HSP20 phosphorylation may be a cyclic nucleotide-dependent, yet MRLC phosphorylation-independent, inhibitor of smooth muscle contractile force.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA. crembold@virginia.edu
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Rembold
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clarkson
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Wardle
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D050886:HSP20 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009129:Muscle Tonus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D050886:HSP20 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005576:Colforsin; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D002118:Calcium