title: The role of sphingosine-1-phosphate in smooth muscle contraction.
abstract: Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid metabolite that is known to mediate diverse cellular responses including cell growth, survival, and migration. Most of these effects have been attributed to its binding to a specific subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR), namely S1P(1-5). Recent studies have suggested that S1P also plays a prominent role in the contraction of various types of smooth muscle. This review provides a brief overview of its role in this process and also highlights how S1P-dependent signaling serves as an important regulator of smooth muscle contraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, 1101 E. Marshall Street, P.O. Box 980614, Sanger Hall, Room 2-011, Richmond, VA 23298-0614, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Watterson
authors.forename: Paul H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Ratz
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spiegel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D017869:Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008246:Lysophospholipids / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000502:physiology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D049349:Receptors, Lysosphingolipid / Q000502:physiology; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008246:Lysophospholipids; D049349:Receptors, Lysosphingolipid; C060506:sphingosine 1-phosphate; D017869:Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D013110:Sphingosine; D002118:Calcium