title: Calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor activation by receptor activity-modifying protein-1 gene transfer to vascular smooth muscle cells.
abstract: The neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a potent vasodilator that plays a protective role in the cardiovascular system. The receptor for CGRP is an unusual complex of the G protein-coupled calcitonin-like receptor and an obligate receptor activity modifying protein-1 (RAMP1). In this report we provide the first evidence that RAMP1 is rate limiting in vascular smooth muscle cells. Although cultured rat aorta smooth muscle cells express calcitonin like-receptor and RAMP1, we found that CGRP is not a potent activator of the receptor. After overexpression of RAMP1 by adenoviral gene transfer, there was a striking increase in CGRP-induced production of cAMP, with a 75-fold decrease in the EC(50) and a 1.5-fold increase in the maximal response. The biological consequence of this increased receptor activity was observed in three different paradigms. First, RAMP1 gene transfer caused a CGRP-dependent decrease in cell proliferation. Second, RAMP1 and CGRP treatment led to a 3-fold greater free radical-induced reduction in cell number. Finally, RAMP1 gene transfer resulted in a 5-fold CGRP-dependent increase in terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling-positive apoptotic cells upon serum withdrawal. The mechanisms underlying these effects involved cAMP-dependent pathways. We propose that RAMP1 gene transfer may be an effective strategy for increasing the effectiveness of CGRP-induced decrease in restenosis after aortic angioplasty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Zhongming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ian M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Dickerson
authors.forename: Andrew F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Russo
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D058286:Calcitonin Receptor-Like Protein; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000096:biosynthesis; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D058262:Receptor Activity-Modifying Protein 1; D058261:Receptor Activity-Modifying Proteins; D018003:Receptors, Calcitonin / Q000502:physiology; D018015:Receptors, Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C545578:CALCRL protein, human; D058286:Calcitonin Receptor-Like Protein; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C545502:RAMP1 protein, human; C545508:Ramp1 protein, rat; D058262:Receptor Activity-Modifying Protein 1; D058261:Receptor Activity-Modifying Proteins; D018003:Receptors, Calcitonin; D018015:Receptors, Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D000242:Cyclic AMP