Activation of PKC-epsilon and ERK1/2 participates in shear-induced endothelial MCP-1 expression that is repressed by nitric oxide.
Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) continuously experience hemodynamic shear stress generated from blood flow. Previous studies have demonstrated that shear stress modulates monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) expression in ECs. This study explored the roles of protein kinase C (PKC), extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK1/2), and nitric oxide (NO) in sheared-induced MCP-1 expression in ECs. The activation of PKC-alpha and PKC-epsilon isoforms was observed in ECs exposed to shear stress. The use of an inhibitor (calphostin C) to PKC-alpha and PKC-epsilon decreased ERK1/2 activation and MCP-1 induction by shear, whereas an inhibitor (Go6976) to PKC-alpha did not affect ERK1/2 activation or MCP-1 induction. Inhibition of ERK1/2 activation by PD98059 blocked MCP-1 induction. Transfection of ECs with an antisense to PKC-epsilon abolished the shear inducibility of MCP-1 promoter. These results demonstrate that PKC-epsilon and ERK1/2 participate in shear-induced MCP-1 expression. We also examined the regulatory role of NO in MCP-1 expression. An NO donor (NOC18) suppressed shear-induced activation of PKC-epsilon and ERK1/2, and also repressed MCP-1 induction. Consistently, overexpression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) to enhance the endogenous generation of NO in ECs decreased the activation of PKC-epsilon and ERK1/2, and also inhibited MCP-1 expression. Taken together, these findings suggest that PKC-epsilon and ERK1/2 are critical in the signaling pathway(s) leading to the MCP-1 expression induced by shear stress. Additionally, this study indicates that NO, by repressing PKC-epsilon activity and ERK pathway activation, attenuates shear-induced MCP-1 expression.
Ni
Chih-Wen
CW
Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wang
Danny L
DL
Lien
Sheng-Chieh
SC
Cheng
Jing-Jy
JJ
Chao
Yuen-Jen
YJ
Hsieh
Hsyue-Jen
HJ
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha; D051744:Protein Kinase C-epsilon; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C496628:PRKCA protein, human; C497255:PRKCE protein, human; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha; D051744:Protein Kinase C-epsilon; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases