[Expression of focal adhesion kinase in cardiac myocytes of hypertrophic ventricle].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy induced by hypertension.


METHODS
Using immunofluorescent labeling, confocal microscopy and Western blotting, the expression and subcellular localization of FAK in the cardiac myocytes of left ventricle were determined in 2, 6, 12, and 18 month-old rats with spontaneously hypertensive heart failure (SHHF) along with age-matched control Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference of FAK expression between 2 month-old SHHF and WKY rats (50.5+/-6.9 vs. 49.8+/-5.0, n=6, P>0.05). In contrast with the control groups, the expression of FAK significantly increased in 6, 12 and 18 month-old SHHF rats (130.6+/-3.0 vs. 47.3+/-1.3, 144.7+/-5.4 vs. 46.4+/-3.1, 141.4+/-9.8 vs. 48.5+/-2.2, each groups n=6, P<0.05) with FAK protein primarily cumulated in the intercalated disks and nuclei.


CONCLUSIONS
FAK may play a role in the cell signaling transduction leading to cardiac hypertrophy, presumably through regulations of hypertrophic gene transcription and RNA processing.
Li
Zhan-yu
ZY
Department of Pathology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China.
Yi
Xian-ping
XP
Zhong
Ling
L
Li
Fa-qian
FQ
Zhou
Wen-ying
WY
Cao
Wan-wei
WW
Zheng
Yan-xuan
YX
Wang
Xiao-hong
XH
Wang
Ya-nan
YN
D000818:Animals; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D015398:Signal Transduction
D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; C496052:Ptk2 protein, rat