title: Enhancement of vascular smooth muscle cell migration by urotensin II.
abstract: The effects of urotensin II (UII) on migration of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) were investigated. UII (1-100 nM) significantly increased velocity of HASMC motility in a concentration-dependent manner. Stress-fiber formation and ERK (p44/p42) activity were also increased by UII. U0126 and PD 98059, MEK inhibitors, abolished the effects of UII on motility velocity and stress-fiber formation. These results suggest that UII enhances HASMC migration through activation of an ERK-dependent pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Iida-Nishi 2-2-2, Yamagata 990-9585, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsusaka
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wakabayashi
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D022502:Stress Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D014579:Urotensins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014579:Urotensins; C029677:urotensin II; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3