title: Differential participation of protein kinase C and Rho kinase in alpha 1-adrenoceptor mediated contraction in rat arteries.
abstract: The major functional alpha1-adrenoceptor in the rat aorta is of the alpha1Dsubtype and that in the caudal artery is of the alpha1A subtype. In the present study, the participation of protein kinase C (PKC) and Rho kinase (RhoK) in contractile responses to stimulation of the alpha1-adrenoceptors in these two arteries was investigated. Both the PKC inhibitor Ro-318220 and the RhoK inhibitor Y-27632 significantly blocked contractile responses of the aorta to phenylephrine (PE) and the selective alpha1A-adrenoceptor agonist A61603. When used in combination, the inhibitors had an additive blocking effect. In the caudal artery, Y-27632 but not Ro-318220 inhibited contractile responses to PE and A61603, and, in combination, the antagonism produced was no greater than that by Y-27632 alone. Contractile responses to direct activation of PKC with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate were much smaller and levels of CPI-17 (PKC-activated protein phosphatase inhibitor of 17 kDa) were much lower in the caudal artery than the aorta. The results suggest that both PKC and RhoK contribute independently to contractile responses to stimulation of alpha1D-adrenoceptors in the aorta. However, RhoK, but not PKC, participates in contractile responses to stimulation of alpha1A-adrenoceptors in the caudal artery. This difference may largely be due to differences between the two arteries in the extent to which PKC participates in contraction.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Irem
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mueed
authors.forename: Perminder
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bains
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Macleod
mesh_terms: D058646:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Agonists; D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases
chemical_list: D058646:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Agonists; D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D011493:Protein Kinase C