title: Activation of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase by the p38 MAPK in response to black tea polyphenols.
abstract: Black tea improves endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease. We sought to determine the responsible components of black tea and elucidate the underlying cell signaling mechanisms. We exposed porcine aortic endothelial cells to components of black tea and found that the polyphenol fraction acutely enhanced nitric oxide bioactivity. This effect involved endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation at Ser-1177 and dephosphorylation at Thr-495, consistent with increased eNOS activity. These effects were calcium-dependent, as removal of extracellular calcium prevented eNOS phosphorylation at Ser-1177, whereas inhibition of intracellular calcium mobilization with TMB-8 blunted Thr-495 dephosphorylation. Black tea polyphenol-induced eNOS activation appeared dependent upon the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt pathway, as it was significantly inhibited by LY294002 and a dominant negative Akt, respectively. Pharmacological inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) with either SB202190 or SB203580 as well as overexpression of a dominant negative p38 MAPKalpha attenuated both eNOS activation and phosphorylation changes in response to black tea polyphenols. Inhibition of p38 MAPKalpha also blunted Akt activation in response to black tea polyphenols, suggesting that p38alpha MAPK is upstream of Akt in this pathway. Finally, a constitutively active mutant of MKK6bE, an upstream kinase for p38 MAPK, enhanced both the basal and stimulated activity of Akt, leading to increased eNOS activity. Taken together, these data identify the p38 MAPK as an upstream component of Akt-mediated eNOS activation.
authors.affiliation: Evans Memorial Department of Medicine, the Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachussetts 02118, USA.
authors.forename: Elad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anter
authors.forename: Shane R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Oz M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Shapira
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vita
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Keaney
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology; D001120:Arginine / Q000737:chemistry; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D002956:Citrulline / Q000737:chemistry; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D009154:Mutation; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D059808:Polyphenols; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013552:Swine; D013662:Tea; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005419:Flavonoids; D007093:Imidazoles; D010636:Phenols; D059808:Polyphenols; D011725:Pyridines; D013662:Tea; D002956:Citrulline; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C093642:SB 203580; C090942:4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)imidazole; D002118:Calcium