title: Aldose reductase mediates the mitogenic signals of cytokines.
abstract: Chronic hyperglycemia is associated with the activation of aldose reductase (AR), an increase in cytokines such as TNF-alpha and IL-8 and oxidative stress. Alterations in this interdependent cascade of signals may be responsible for the diabetes-induced increase in the incidence and severity of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and hypertension. We have previously shown that inhibition of AR prevents cultured vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth and restenosis of balloon-injured carotid arteries. To identify the mechanisms by which inhibition of AR prevents cell growth, we examined the effects of AR inhibition on mitogenic signaling by cytokines. Stimulation with TNF-alpha led to the activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB and enhanced VSMC growth. Treatment with the AR inhibitors sorbinil or tolrestat, attenuated mitogen-induced activation of NF-kappaB and VSMC proliferation. In cultured VSMC, AR inhibitors prevented signaling events upstream of NF-kappaB activation, i.e. IkappaB-alpha phosphorylation and IkappaB-alpha degradation. Inhibition of AR also prevented protein kinase C (PKC) activation by TNF-alpha, but did not affect PKC activation by phorbol esters, indicating that inhibition of AR interrupts mitogenic signaling upstream of PKC. Together, these results indicate a pivotal role of AR or its reaction product(s) in the mitogenic signals initiated by cytokines that are elevated in diabetes and its cardiovascular complications such as atherosclerosis. These observations suggest a possible therapeutic use of AR inhibitors in these pathological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 619 Basic Science Building, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
authors.forename: Kota V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Ramana
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: Aruni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhatnagar
authors.forename: Satish K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Srivastava
mesh_terms: D000449:Aldehyde Reductase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008934:Mitogens / Q000378:metabolism*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D021381:Protein Transport; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D017931:DNA Primers; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008934:Mitogens; D016328:NF-kappa B; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000449:Aldehyde Reductase