title: Urocortin protects the heart from reperfusion injury via upregulation of p42/p44 MAPK signaling pathway.
abstract: Reperfusion of ischemic myocardium is essential for tissue salvage but paradoxically contributes to cell death. We hypothesized that activation of potential survival pathways such as p42/p44 MAPK may prevent lethal reperfusion injury. Urocortin is a peptide factor that affects the p42/p44 MAPK signaling pathway. Both isolated and in vivo rat heart models were used to examine the potential for urocortin to prevent reperfusion injury. Isolated rat hearts underwent 35-min regional ischemia and 2-h reperfusion, with urocortin perfused for 20 min from the onset of reperfusion. In the in vivo study, urocortin was administered as an intravenous bolus 3 min before reperfusion with a protocol of 25-min regional ischemia and 2-h reperfusion. Blockade of the p42/p44 MAPK pathway with the inhibitor PD-98059 was used in both models. Urocortin attenuated lethal reperfusion-induced injury both in vitro and in vivo via a p42/p44 MAPK-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, Western blot analysis demonstrated the ability of urocortin to directly upregulate this signaling pathway. In conclusion, we believe that the p42/p44 MAPK-dependent signaling pathway represents an important survival mechanism against reperfusion injury.
authors.affiliation: The Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Studies, University College London Hospital and Medical School, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schulman
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Latchman
authors.forename: Derek M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Yellon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D054832:Urocortins
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005419:Flavonoids; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D054832:Urocortins; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one