title: Activation of eNOS in rat portal hypertensive gastric mucosa is mediated by TNF-alpha via the PI 3-kinase-Akt signaling pathway.
abstract: Activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in portal hypertensive (PHT) gastric mucosa leads to hyperdynamic circulation and increased susceptibility to injury. However, the signaling mechanisms for eNOS activation in PHT gastric mucosa and the role of TNF-alpha in this signaling remain unknown. In PHT gastric mucosa we studied (1) eNOS phosphorylation (at serine 1177) required for its activation; (2) association of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase), and its downstream effector Akt, with eNOS; and, (3) whether TNF-alpha neutralization affects eNOS phosphorylation and PI 3-kinase-Akt activation. To determine human relevance, we used human microvascular endothelial cells to examine directly whether TNF-alpha stimulates eNOS phosphorylation via PI 3-kinase. PHT gastric mucosa has significantly increased (1) eNOS phosphorylation at serine 1177 by 90% (P <.01); (2) membrane translocation (P <.05) and phosphorylation (P <.05) of p85 (regulatory subunit of PI 3-kinase) by 61% and 85%, respectively; (3) phosphorylation (P <.01) and activity (P <.01) of Akt by 40% and 52%, respectively; and (4) binding of Akt to eNOS by as much as 410% (P <.001). Neutralizing anti-TNF-alpha antibody significantly reduced p85 phosphorylation, phosphorylation and activity of Akt, and eNOS phosphorylation in PHT gastric mucosa to normal levels. Furthermore, TNF-alpha stimulated eNOS phosphorylation in human microvascular endothelial cells. In conclusion, these findings show that in PHT gastric mucosa, TNF-alpha stimulates eNOS phosphorylation at serine 1177 (required for its activation) via the PI 3-kinase-Akt signal transduction pathway.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Long Beach, CA 90822, USA.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawanaka
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Imre L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Szabo
authors.forename: Dolgor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baatar
authors.forename: Rama
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsugawa
authors.forename: Keizo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimachi
authors.forename: I James
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Sarfeh
authors.forename: Andrzej S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Tarnawski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000502:physiology; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008833:Microcirculation; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000503:physiopathology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012016:Reference Values; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D014690:Venous Pressure
chemical_list: D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; C494920:Akt1 protein, rat