title: cAMP response element-binding protein mediates thrombin-induced proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells.
abstract: Thrombin is a potent mitogen for vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and plays an important role in the progression of atherosclerosis. Although recent reports have suggested that cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is necessary for the survival of neuronal cells, the role of CREB in VSMC proliferation is not determined. We examined the role of CREB in thrombin-induced VSMC proliferation and the effect of thrombin on phosphorylation of CREB at Ser133, which is a critical marker for activation by Western blot analysis. Thrombin induced phosphorylation of CREB in a dose-dependent manner. An oligopeptide, SFLLRN, which activates the thrombin receptor, also induced the phosphorylation of CREB. Inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase or inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase suppressed the thrombin-induced CREB phosphorylation. Inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor by AG1478 also inhibited the thrombin-induced CREB phosphorylation. Overexpression of the dominant-negative form of CREB inhibited thrombin-induced c-fos mRNA expression and incorporation of [(3)H]thymidine and [(3)H]leucine. These results suggest that CREB-dependent gene transcription plays a critical role in thrombin-induced proliferation and hypertrophy of VSMCs. Transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor and 2 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways are involved in this process. CREB may be a novel transcription factor mediating the vascular remodeling process induced by thrombin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tokunou
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichiki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Funakoshi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takeshita
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010768:Phosphoserine / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013917:Thrombin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D010768:Phosphoserine; D004247:DNA; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D013917:Thrombin