Carbon monoxide differentially modulates STAT1 and STAT3 and inhibits apoptosis via a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt and p38 kinase-dependent STAT3 pathway during anoxia-reoxygenation injury.
Carbon monoxide (CO), previously considered a toxic waste product of heme catabolism, is emerging as an important gaseous molecule. In addition to its important role in neurotransmission, exogenous CO protects against vascular injury, transplant rejection, and acute lung injury. However, little is known regarding the precise signaling mechanisms of CO. We have recently shown that CO attenuates endothelial cell apoptosis during anoxia-reoxygenation injury by activating MKK3/p38alpha mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Our current study is the first to demonstrate that CO can differentially modulate STAT1 and STAT3 activation and, specifically, that STAT3 activation by CO is responsible for the anti-apoptotic effect in endothelial cells. In addition, we show that the anti-apoptotic effects of CO depend upon both phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt and p38 MAPK signaling pathways in endothelial cells, whereas previous reports have implicated only the MKK3/p38 MAPK pathway. Using chemical inhibitors and dominant negative constructs, we show that CO enhances STAT3 activation via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt and p38 MAPK pathways with subsequent attenuation of Fas expression and caspase 3 activity. These data highlight the anti-apoptotic signaling mechanisms of CO and, importantly, delineate potential therapeutic strategies to prevent ischemia-reperfusion or anoxia-reoxygenation injury in the vasculature.
Zhang
Xuchen
X
Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
Shan
Peiying
P
Alam
Jawed
J
Fu
Xin-Yuan
XY
Lee
Patty J
PJ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D011651:Pulmonary Artery; D051381:Rats; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D015534:Trans-Activators; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C494081:Stat1 protein, rat; C494088:Stat3 protein, rat; C494920:Akt1 protein, rat