title: Activation of Rho-associated kinase during augmented contraction of the basilar artery to serotonin after subarachnoid hemorrhage.
abstract: Delayed cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) may be due, in part, to altered regulation of arterial smooth muscle contraction. Contraction of cerebral arteries to serotonin is augmented after experimental SAH. We hypothesized that activation of Rho-associated kinase (Rho kinase) contributes to augmented contraction of cerebral arteries to serotonin after SAH. Autologous arterial blood (SAH) or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (control) was injected into the cisterna magna of anesthetized rabbits. At 2 days after injection, the basilar artery was excised and isometric contraction of arterial rings was recorded. Maximum contraction of the basilar artery to serotonin was augmented about fourfold in SAH compared with control rabbits (P < 0.01). Contraction to histamine was similar in the two groups. Fasudil hydrochloride (3 mumol/l), an inhibitor of Rho kinase, markedly attenuated serotonin-induced contraction. Fasudil had little effect on contractions induced by histamine or phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate. In addition, phosphorylation of myosin phosphatase, a major target of Rho kinase in regulation of smooth muscle contraction, in the basilar artery was examined by Western blotting. In basilar arteries of SAH, but not control, rabbits, serotonin increased phosphorylation of myosin phosphatase about twofold at Thr(853) of the myosin-targeting subunit. These results suggest that enhanced activation of Rho kinase contributes to augmented contraction of the basilar artery to serotonin after SAH.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Internal Medicine, Univ. of Iowa College of Medicine, 200 Hawkins Dr., Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Yoshimasa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Frank M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Faraci
authors.forename: Donald D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Heistad
mesh_terms: D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000201:enzymology*; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D012701:Serotonin; D006632:Histamine; D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; C049347:fasudil