Vascular signaling through cholesterol-rich domains: implications in hypertension.
OBJECTIVE
Lipid rafts are emerging as key players in the integration of cellular responses. Alterations in these highly regulated signaling cascades are important in structural, mechanical and functional abnormalities that underlie vascular pathological processes. The present review focuses on recent advances in signal transduction through caveolae/lipid rafts, implicated in hypertensive processes.


RESULTS
Caveolae/lipid rafts function as sites of dynamic regulatory events in receptor-induced signal transduction. Mediators of vascular function, including G-protein coupled receptors, Src family tyrosine kinases, receptor tyrosine kinases, protein phosphatases and nitric oxide synthase, are concentrated within these microdomains. The assembly of functionally active nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase and subsequent reactive oxygen species production are also dependent on interactions within the caveolae/lipid rafts. Recent findings have also demonstrated the importance of actin-cytoskeleton and focal adhesion sites for protein interactions with caveolae/lipid raft.


CONCLUSIONS
Many vascular signaling processes are altered in hypertension. Whether these events involve lipid rafts/caveolae remains unclear. A better understanding of how signaling molecules compartmentalize in lipid rafts/caveolae will provide further insights into molecular mechanisms underlying vascular damage in cardiovascular disease.
Callera
Glaucia E
GE
Kidney Research Centre, Ottawa Health Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. gcallera@uottawa.ca
Montezano
Augusto Ci
AC
Yogi
Alvaro
A
Tostes
Rita Ca
RC
Touyz
Rhian M
RM
D021941:Caveolae / Q000502:physiology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000502:physiology
D013481:Superoxides; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D019061:src-Family Kinases; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases