title: The chromogranin A peptide vasostatin-I inhibits gap formation and signal transduction mediated by inflammatory agents in cultured bovine pulmonary and coronary arterial endothelial cells.
abstract: The proinflammatory agent tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) is one of several agents causing vascular leakage. The N-terminal domain of CgA, vasostatin-I (CgA1-76), has recently been reported to inhibit TNFalpha induced gap formation in human umbilical venous endothelial cells. Here we report on the effect of recombinant human CgA1-78, vasostatin-I, on TNFalpha induced gap formation in two model systems of vascular leakage in arterial endothelial cells of bovine pulmonary (BPAEC) and coronary (BCAEC) origin. Vasostatin-I inhibited the TNFalpha induced gap formation in both models, being inactive in the unstimulated cells. The phosphorylation of p38MAP kinase in TNFalpha activated BPAEC was markedly attenuated in the presence of vasostatin-I and the inhibitory effect corresponded to that of the specific p38MAPK inhibitor SB203580. Vasostatin-I also inhibited the phosphorylation of p38MAPK induced by both thrombin and pertussis toxin in these cells. The results demonstrate that vasostatin-I has inhibitory effects on TNFalpha-induced disruption of confluent layers of cultured pulmonary and coronary arterial endothelial cells. This suggests that vasostatin-I may affect endothelial barrier dysfunction also in arterial vascular beds. Furthermore, the inhibitory activity of vasostatin-I may be associated with the p38MAPK signalling cascade via a pertussis toxin sensitive, presumably Galphai coupled mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009 Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blois
authors.forename: Boleslaw
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Srebro
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mandalà
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corti
authors.forename: Karen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Helle
authors.forename: Guldborg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Serck-Hanssen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000166:cytology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D037342:Pertussis Toxin / Q000378:metabolism; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000166:cytology*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013917:Thrombin / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D053379:Chromogranin A; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007093:Imidazoles; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011725:Pyridines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C064110:vasostatin I; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D013917:Thrombin; C093642:SB 203580