title: RELMα can cause contraction of rat aortic smooth muscle cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to observe the contraction role of RELMα in rat aortic smooth muscle cells and explore its mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rat aortas smooth muscle cells were cultivated using tissue explants method. They were divided into 5 groups. A: Control group; B: 1×10(-7) mol/L ANGII group; C: 1×10(-8) mol/L RELMα group; D: 2×10(-8) mol/L RELMα group; E: 4×10(-8) mol/L RELMα group. The thoracic aortic tension signal of rats was recorded by Powerlab system. The expression levels of CaM and MLCK were detected by western blotting and RT-PCR methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tension changes of rat thoracic aorta vascular ring in group C, D and E (72±2.98%, 76.65±2.73%, 85.07±3.06% respectively) were higher than that of group A and B (6.35±0.75%, 61.47±4.47%) with dose-dependent (P<0.01). The expression levels of CaM and MLCK in group C were higher than that of group A and B while were lower than that of group D and E (P<0.05). The expression levels of CaM and MLCK in group E were the highest among the groups (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RELMα can cause contraction of rat aortic smooth muscle cells, its mechanism may be via Ca(2+)-CaM-MLCK pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The General Hospital of Jinan Military Region Jinan 250031, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The General Hospital of Jinan Military Region Jinan 250031, China.
authors.forename: Shuxiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The General Hospital of Jinan Military Region Jinan 250031, China.
authors.forename: Hongming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The General Hospital of Jinan Military Region Jinan 250031, China.
authors.forename: Shufang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The General Hospital of Jinan Military Region Jinan 250031, China.
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The General Hospital of Jinan Military Region Jinan 250031, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cui
keywords: Aortas; RELMα; cell contraction; smooth muscle cells; vascular ring