Marjorie Akers

p38 Mitogen-activated protein kinase is a critical component of the redox-sensitive signaling pathways activated by angiotensin II. Role in vascular smooth muscle cell hypertrophy.

Angiotensin II induces an oxidant stress-dependent hypertrophy in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. To investigate the growth-related molecular targets of H2O2, we examined the redox sensitivity of agonist-stimulated activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family. We show here that angiotensin II elicits a rapid increase in intracellular H2O2 and a rapid and robust phosphorylation of both p42/44MAPK (16-fold) and p38MAPK (15-fold). However, exogenous H2O2 activates only p38MAPK (14-fold), and diphenylene iodonium, an NADH/NADPH oxidase inhibitor, attenuates angiotensin II-stimulated phosphorylation of p38MAPK, but not p42/44MAPK. Furthermore, in cells stably transfected with human catalase, angiotensin II-induced intracellular H2O2 generation is almost completely blocked, resulting in inhibition of phosphorylation of p38MAPK, but not p42/44MAPK, and a subsequent partial decrease in angiotensin II-induced hypertrophy. Specific inhibition of either the p38MAPK pathway with SB203580 (4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)1H-imidazole) or the p42/44MAPK pathway with PD98059 (2-(2′-amino-3′-methoxyphenyl)oxanaphthalen-4-one) also partially, but significantly, attenuates angiotensin II-induced hypertrophy; however, simultaneous blockade of both pathways has an additive inhibitory effect, indicating that the hypertrophic response to angiotensin II requires parallel, independent activation of both MAPK pathways. These results provide the first evidence that p38MAPK is a critical component of the oxidant stress (H2O2)-sensitive signaling pathways activated by angiotensin II in vascular smooth muscle cells and indicate that it plays a crucial role in vascular hypertrophy.

Role of NADH/NADPH Oxidase–Derived H2O2 in Angiotensin II–Induced Vascular Hypertrophy

Recent evidence suggests that oxidative mechanisms may be involved in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) hypertrophy. We previously showed that angiotensin II (Ang II) increases superoxide production by activating an NADH/NADPH oxidase, which contributes to hypertrophy. In this study, we determined whether Ang II stimulation of this oxidase results in H2O2 production by studying the effects of Ang II on intracellular H2O2 generation, intracellular superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, and hypertrophy. Ang II (100 nmol/L) significantly increased intracellular H2O2 levels at 4 hours. Neither superoxide dismutase activity nor catalase activity was affected by Ang II; the SOD present in VSMCs is sufficient to metabolize Ang II-stimulated superoxide to H2O2, which accumulates more rapidly than it is degraded by catalase. This increase in H2O2 was inhibited by extracellular catalase, diphenylene iodonium, an inhibitor of the NADH/NADPH oxidase, and the AT1 receptor blocker losartan. In VSMCs stably transfected with antisense p22phox, a critical component of the NADH/NADPH oxidase in which oxidase activity was markedly reduced, Ang II-induced production of H2O2 was almost completely inhibited, confirming that the source of Ang II-induced H2O2 was the NADH/NADPH oxidase. Using a novel cell line that stably overexpresses catalase, we showed that this increased H2O2 is a critical step in VSMC hypertrophy, a hallmark of many vascular diseases. Inhibition of intracellular superoxide dismutase by diethylthiocarbamate (1 mmol/L) also resulted in attenuation of Ang II-induced hypertrophy (62+/-2% inhibition). These data indicate that AT1 receptor-mediated production of superoxide generated by the NADH/NADPH oxidase is followed by an increase in intracellular H2O2, suggesting a specific role for these oxygen species and scavenging systems in modifying the intracellular redox state in vascular growth.

REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES MEDIATE THE ACTIVATION OF AKT/PROTEIN KINASE B BY ANGIOTENSIN II IN VASCULAR SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS

Angiotensin II, a hypertrophic/anti-apoptotic hormone, utilizes reactive oxygen species (ROS) as growth-related signaling molecules in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Recently, the cell survival protein kinase Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) was proposed to be involved in protein synthesis. Here we show that angiotensin II causes rapid phosphorylation of Akt/PKB (6- ± 0.4-fold increase). Exogenous H2O2 (50–200 μm) also stimulates Akt/PKB phosphorylation (maximal 8- ± 0.2-fold increase), suggesting that Akt/PKB activation is redox-sensitive. Both angiotensin II and H2O2stimulation of Akt/PKB are abrogated by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 (2(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one), suggesting that PI3-K is an upstream mediator of Akt/PKB activation in VSMCs. Furthermore, diphenylene iodonium, an inhibitor of flavin-containing oxidases, or overexpression of catalase to block angiotensin II-induced intracellular H2O2production significantly inhibits angiotensin II-induced Akt/PKB phosphorylation, indicating a role for ROS in agonist-induced Akt/PKB activation. In VSMCs infected with dominant-negative Akt/PKB, angiotensin II-stimulated [3H]leucine incorporation is attenuated. Thus, our studies indicate that Akt/PKB is part of the remarkable spectrum of angiotensin II signaling pathways and provide insight into the highly organized signaling mechanisms coordinated by ROS, which mediate the hypertrophic response to angiotensin II in VSMCs.

Temporal Dispersion of Activation of Phospholipase C-β1 and -γ Isoforms by Angiotensin II in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells ROLE OF αq/11, α12, AND βγ G PROTEIN SUBUNITS

Activation of phospholipase C (PLC) is one of the earliest events in angiotensin II (Ang II) type 1 (AT1) receptor (R)-mediated signal transduction in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The coupling mechanisms of AT1 Rs to PLC, however, are controversial, because both tyrosine phosphorylation of PLC-γ and G protein-dependent PLC-β activation pathways have been reported. The expression of PLC-β1, furthermore, has not been consistently demonstrated in VSMCs. Here we identified the PLC subtypes and subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins involved in AT1 R-PLC coupling using cultured rat VSMCs. Western analysis revealed the expression of PLC-β1, -γ1, and -δ1 in VSMCs. Ang II-stimulated inositol trisphosphate (IP3) formation measured at 15 s, which corresponds to the peak response, was significantly inhibited by electroporation of antibodies against PLC-β1, but not by anti-PLC-γ and -δ antibodies. Electroporation of anti-Gαq/11 and -Gα12 antibodies also showed significant inhibition of the Ang II-induced IP3 generation at 15 s, while anti-Gαi and Gα13 antibodies were ineffective. Furthermore, in VSMCs electroporated with anti-Gβ antibody and cells stably transfected with the plasmid encoding the Gβγ-binding region of the carboxyl terminus of β-adrenergic receptor kinase1, the peak Ang II-stimulated PLC activity (at 15 s) was significantly inhibited. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, had no effect on the peak response to Ang II stimulation, but significantly inhibited IP3 production after 30 s, a time period which temporally correlated with PLC-γ tyrosine phosphorylation in response to Ang II. Moreover, electropor-ation of anti-PLC-γ antibody markedly inhibited the IP3production measured at 30 s, indicating that tyrosine phosphorylation of PLC-γ contributes mainly to the later phase of PLC activation. Thus, these results suggest that: 1) AT1receptors sequentially couple to PLC-β1 via a heterotrimeric G protein and to PLC-γ via a downstream tyrosine kinase; 2) the initial AT1 receptor-PLC-β1 coupling is mediated by Gαq/11βγ and Gα12βγ; 3) Gβγ acts as a signal transducer for activation of PLC in VSMCs. The sequential coupling of AT1 receptors to PLC-β1 and PLC-γ, as well as dual coupling of AT1 receptors to distinct Gα proteins, suggests a novel mechanism for a temporally controlled, highly organized and convergent Ang II-signaling network in VSMCs.

Pyk2- and Src-Dependent Tyrosine Phosphorylation of PDK1 Regulates Focal Adhesions

ABSTRACT 3-Phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1) is a signal integrator that activates the AGC superfamily of serine/threonine kinases. PDK1 is phosphorylated on tyrosine by oxidants, although its regulation by agonists that stimulate G-protein-coupled receptor signaling pathways and the physiological consequences of tyrosine phosphorylation in this setting have not been fully identified. We found that angiotensin II stimulates the tyrosine phosphorylation of PDK1 in vascular smooth muscle in a calcium- and c-Src-dependent manner. The calcium-activated tyrosine kinase Pyk2 acts as a scaffold for Src-dependent phosphorylation of PDK1 on Tyr9, which permits phosphorylation of Tyr373 and -376 by Src. This critical function of Pyk2 is further supported by the observation that Pyk2 and tyrosine-phosphorylated PDK1 colocalize in focal adhesions after angiotensin II stimulation. Importantly, infection of smooth muscle cells with a Tyr9 mutant of PDK1 inhibits angiotensin II-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin and focal adhesion formation. These observations identify a novel interaction between PDK1 and Pyk2 that regulates the integrity of focal adhesions, which are major compartments for integrating signals for cell growth, apoptosis, and migration.

Mechanism of Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Cell Cycle Arrest in Vascular Smooth Muscle

Reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) can positively and negatively modulate vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth. To investigate these paradoxical effects of H(2)O(2), we examined its effect on apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and cell cycle proteins. High concentrations of H(2)O(2) (500 microM to 1 mM) induced apoptosis, whereas moderate concentrations (100 microM) caused cell cycle arrest in G1. H(2)O(2) (100 microM) blocked serum-stimulated cyclin-dependent kinase-2 (CDK2) activity, but not CDK4 activity, suggesting that cell cycle arrest occurred in part by inhibiting CDK2 activity. The serum-induced increase in cyclin A mRNA was also completely suppressed by H(2)O(2), whereas cyclin D1 mRNA was not affected. In addition, H(2)O(2) caused a dramatic increase in expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p21 mRNA (9.67 +/- 0.94-fold at 2 h) and protein (8.75 +/- 0.08-fold at 8 h), but no change in p27 protein. Finally, H(2)O(2 )transiently increased p53 protein levels (3.16 +/- 1.2-fold at 2 h). Thus, whereas high levels of H(2)O(2) induce apoptosis, moderate concentrations of H(2)O(2) coordinate a set of molecular events leading to arrest of VSMCs at the G1/S checkpoint of the cell cycle. These results provide insight into the mechanisms underlying positive and negative regulation of VSMC growth by H(2)O(2) in vascular disease.