title: The isoflavone Equol mediates rapid vascular relaxation: Ca2+-independent activation of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase/Hsp90 involving ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation in human endothelial cells.
abstract: We recently reported that soy isoflavones increase gene expression of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) and antioxidant defense enzymes, resulting in improved endothelial function and lower blood pressure in vivo. In this study, we establish that equol (1-100 nM) causes acute endothelium- and nitric oxide (NO)-dependent relaxation of aortic rings and rapidly (2 min) activates eNOS in human aortic and umbilical vein endothelial cells. Intracellular Ca2+ and cyclic AMP levels were unaffected by treatment (100 nM, 2 min) with equol, daidzein, or genistein. Rapid phosphorylation of ERK1/2, protein kinase B/Akt, and eNOS serine 1177 by equol was paralleled by association of eNOS with heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and NO synthesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, expressing estrogen receptors (ER)alpha and ERbeta. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and ERK1/2 inhibited eNOS activity, whereas pertussis toxin and the ER antagonists ICI 182,750 and tamoxifen had negligible effects. Our findings provide the first evidence that nutritionally relevant plasma concentrations of equol (and other soy protein isoflavones) rapidly stimulate phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt, leading to the activation of NOS and increased NO production at resting cytosolic Ca2+ levels. Identification of the nongenomic mechanisms by which equol mediates vascular relaxation provides a basis for evaluating potential benefits of equol in the treatment of postmenopausal women and patients at risk of cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Division, School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sheeja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joy
authors.forename: Richard C M
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Siow
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Rowlands
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Amanda W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: Philip I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Aaronson
authors.forename: Clive W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Coen
authors.forename: Imre
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kallo
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Giovanni E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Mann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D060754:Equol; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism*; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: C007610:4',7-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydroisoflavone; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins; D007529:Isoflavones; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D060754:Equol; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D002118:Calcium