title: Vasorelaxant effect of Cinnamomi ramulus ethanol extract via rho-kinase signaling pathway.
abstract: The Rho-kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway is substantially involved in vascular contraction. This study investigated the vasodilatory effects and possible mechanisms of Cinnamomi ramulus ethanol extract (CRE), with the hypothesis that the CRE vasodilatory effect involves RhoA and the ROCK signaling pathway in rat aortic preparations. CRE (0.05-1 mg/ml) dose-dependently relaxed the vascular contraction induced by phenylephrine and calpeptin in an endothelium-independent manner. Measurement of the expression levels of ROCK-related signaling molecules in response to calpeptin revealed that CRE completely inhibited RhoA and ROCK2 protein expressions. Furthermore, CRE dephosphorylated the subsequent downstream targets myosin phosphatase targeting subunit 1 (MYPT-1), protein kinase C potentiated phosphatase inhibitor protein-17 kDa (CPI-17) and myosin light chain 20 kDa (MLC20). We conclude that the vasorelaxation effect of CRE occurs via downregulation of ROCK signal molecules.
authors: Department of Physiology, College of Oriental Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeongju 780-714, Republic of Korea.
authors: Yun Hwan
authors: YH
authors: Kang
authors: Heung Mook
authors: HM
authors: Shin
mesh_terms: D020418:Algal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020418:Algal Proteins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; C061930:cinnamomin, Phytophthora cinnamomi; D000431:Ethanol; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein