title: Modulation of pulmonary endothelial endothelin B receptor expression and signaling: implications for experimental hepatopulmonary syndrome.
abstract: The hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) results from intrapulmonary vasodilation in the setting of cirrhosis and portal hypertension. In experimental HPS, pulmonary endothelial endothelin B (ET(B)) receptor overexpression and increased circulating endothelin-1 (ET-1) contribute to vasodilation through enhanced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-derived nitric oxide (NO) production. In both experimental cirrhosis and prehepatic portal hypertension, ET(B) receptor overexpression correlates with increased vascular shear stress, a known modulator of ET(B) receptor expression. We investigated the mechanisms of pulmonary endothelial ET(B) receptor-mediated eNOS activation by ET-1 in vitro and in vivo. The effect of shear stress on ET(B) receptor expression was assessed in rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (RPMVECs). The consequences of ET(B) receptor overexpression on ET-1-dependent ET(B) receptor-mediated eNOS activation were evaluated in RPMVECs and in prehepatic portal hypertensive animals exposed to exogenous ET-1. Laminar shear stress increased ET(B) receptor expression in RPMVECs without altering mRNA stability. Both shear-mediated and targeted overexpression of the ET(B) receptor enhanced ET-1-mediated ET(B) receptor-dependent eNOS activation in RPMVECs through Ca(2+)-mediated signaling pathways and independent of Akt activation. In prehepatic portal hypertensive animals relative to control, ET-1 administration also activated eNOS independent of Akt activation and triggered HPS. These findings support that increased pulmonary microvascular endothelial ET(B) receptor expression modulates ET-1-mediated eNOS activation, independent of Akt, and contributes to the development of HPS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0005, USA.
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Bao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Rakesh P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Yiqun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Junlan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Fallon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D020065:Hepatopulmonary Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply*; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D002118:Calcium