title: Adhesion-dependent activation of CaMKII and regulation of ERK activation in vascular smooth muscle.
abstract: Cell adhesion-dependent activation of ERK1/2 has been linked functionally to focal adhesion dynamics. We previously reported that in adherent vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells, CaMKII mediates ERK1/2 activation in response to Ca(2+)-mobilizing stimuli. In the present study, we tested whether CaMKII regulates ERK1/2 signaling in response to VSM cell adhesion. Using an antibody that specifically recognizes CaMKII autophosphorylated on Thr(287), we determined that CaMKII is rapidly activated (within 1 min) after the adherence of cells on multiple ECM substrates. Activation of CaMKII on fibronectin was unaffected in cells overexpressing focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-related nonkinase (FRNK), an endogenous inhibitor of FAK. Furthermore, CaMKII was rapidly and robustly activated in VSM cells plated on poly-l-lysine. These results suggest that adhesion-dependent CaMKII activation is integrin independent. Adhesion-dependent FAK activation on fibronectin was not affected in cells treated with the selective CaMKII inhibitor KN-93 (30 muM) or in cells in which the expression of CaMKII with small interfering RNA (siRNA) was suppressed, although tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin was inhibited in CaMKII-delta(2)-suppressed cells. Sustained ERK1/2 activation that was dependent on FAK activation (inhibited by FRNK) was also attenuated by CaMKII inhibition or siRNA-mediated gene silencing. Rapid ERK1/2 activation that preceded FAK and paxillin activation was detected upon VSM cell adhesion to poly-l-lysine, and this response was inhibited by CaMKII gene silencing. These results indicate that integrin-independent CaMKII activation is an early signal during VSM cell adhesion that positively modulates ERK1/2 signaling through FAK-dependent and FAK-independent mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cardiovascular Sciences, Albany Medical College, MC-8 47 New Scotland Ave., Albany, New York 12208, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine Kun
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Shayn E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ginnan
authors.forename: Harold A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Singer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D016023:Integrins / Q000502:physiology; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000201:enzymology*; D051419:Paxillin; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D016023:Integrins; D051419:Paxillin; D010750:Phosphoproteins; C496063:Pxn protein, rat; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C496052:Ptk2 protein, rat; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases