Search results for " smooth muscle"
showing 10 items of 105 documents
Glucose-induced alterations of cytosolic free calcium in cultured rat tail artery vascular smooth muscle cells
1995
We have previously suggested that hyperglycemia per se may contribute to diabetic hypertensive and vascular disease by altering cellular ion content. To more directly investigate the potential role of glucose in this process, we measured cytosolic free calcium in primary cultures of vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from Sprague-Dawley rat tail artery before and after incubation with 5 (basal), 10, 15, and 20 mM glucose. Glucose significantly elevated cytosolic free calcium in a dose- and time-dependent manner, from 110.0 +/- 5.4 to 124.5 +/- 9.0, 192.7 +/- 20.4, and 228.4 +/- 21.9 nM at 5, 10, 15, and 20 mM glucose concentrations, respectively. This glucose-induced cytosolic free calci…
Perlecan-Induced Suppression of Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation Is Mediated Through Increased Activity of the Tumor Suppressor PTEN
2004
We were interested in the elucidation of the interaction between the heparan sulfate proteoglycan, perlecan, and PTEN in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) growth. We verified serum-stimulated DNA synthesis, and Akt and FAK phosphorylation were significantly reduced in SMCs overexpressing wild-type PTEN. Our previous studies showed perlecan is a potent inhibitor of serum-stimulated SMC growth. We report in the present study, compared with SMCs plated on fibronectin, serum-stimulated SMCs plated on perlecan exhibited increased PTEN activity, decreased FAK and Akt activities, and high levels of p27, consistent with SMC growth arrest. Adenoviral-mediated overexpression of cons…
Discrepancies Between Nitroglycerin and NO-Releasing Drugs on Mitochondrial Oxygen Consumption, Vasoactivity, and the Release of NO
2005
It has been generally acknowledged that the actions of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) are a result of its bioconversion into NO. However, recent observations have thrown this idea into doubt, with many studies demonstrating that NO is present only when there are high concentrations of GTN. We have explored this discrepancy by developing a new approach that uses confocal microscopy to directly detect NO. Intracellular levels of NO in the rat aortic vascular wall have been compared with those present after incubation with 3 different NO donors (DETA-NO, 3-morpholinosydnonimine, and S -nitroso- N -acetylpenicillamine), endothelial activation with acetylcholine, or administration of GTN. We have al…
Effects of Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate on Cellular Calcium Responsiveness and Vascular Contractility
1995
Abstract Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) is an endogenous steroid having a wide variety of biological effects, but its physiological role remains undefined. Since an age-related decline of DHEAS corresponds to the progressive onset of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, and overall mortality, we investigated a possible protective role of DHEAS in vascular disease by studying the effects of this hormone (10 −7 to 10 −5 mol/L) on cytosolic free calcium and contractility in different in vitro vascular tissue preparations. DHEAS produced a significant, dose-dependent relaxation of isolated helical strips of rat tail artery precontracted with KCl (60 mmol/L) (89.7±18.7%, P <.01)…
β-Adrenoceptors differentially regulate vascular tone and angiogenesis of rat aorta via ERK1/2 and p38
2014
β-Adrenoceptors (β-ARs) modulate ERK1/2 and p38 in different cells, but little is known about the contribution of these signaling pathways to the function of β-ARs in vascular tissue. Immunoblotting analysis of rat aortic rings, primary endothelial (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) isolated from aorta showed that β-AR stimulation with isoprenaline activated p38 in aortic rings and in both cultured cell types, whereas it had a dual effect on ERK1/2 phosphorylation, decreasing it in ECs while increasing it in SMCs. These effects were reversed by propranolol, which by itself increased p-ERK1/2 in ECs. Isoprenaline β-AR mediated vasodilation of aortic rings was potentiated by the ERK1/2 inhi…
Voltage-Dependent Effects of Barnidipine in Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle
2003
The effects of the dihydropyridine nifedipine and its more lipophilic congener, barnidipine, were investigated in smooth muscle preparations from the rat in resting and depolarizing conditions. Both drugs relaxed precontracted aortic rings more potently in depolarizing conditions, barnidipine being more potent than nifedipine. Currents through Ca 2+ channels in rat vascular smooth muscle cells (A7r5) and in isolated rat cardiomyocytes were reduced more potently by both drugs at a holding potential of-40 mV than at -80 mV. However, barnidipine and nifedipine were more effective in reducing the current in A7r5 cells than in cardiomyocytes. The IC 50 obtained in aortic rings and in A7r5 cells …
Enzymatically Degraded, Nonoxidized LDL Induces Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Activation, Foam Cell Transformation, and Proliferation
2000
Background —Enzymatic, nonoxidative modification transforms LDL to an atherogenic molecule (E-LDL) that activates complement and macrophages and is present in early atherosclerotic lesions. Methods and Results —We report on the atherogenic effects of E-LDL on human vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC). E-LDL accumulated in these cells, and this was accompanied by selective induction of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 in the absence of effects on the expression of interleukin (IL)-8, RANTES, or monocyte inflammatory proteins-1α and -β). Furthermore, E-LDL stimulated the expression of gp130, the signal-transducing chain of the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) family, and the secretion of IL-6. E-LDL invok…
Acute relaxant effects of 17-beta-estradiol through non-genomic mechanisms in rabbit carotid artery.
2002
Estrogens could play a cardiovascular protective role not only by means of systemic effects but also by means of direct effects on vascular structure and function. We have studied the acute effects and mechanisms of action of 17-beta-estradiol on vascular tone of rabbit isolated carotid artery. 17-Beta-estradiol (10, 30, and 100 microM) elicited concentration-dependent relaxation of 50 mM KCl-induced active tone in male and female rabbit carotid artery. The stereoisomer 17-alpha-estradiol showed lesser relaxant effects in male rabbits. Endothelium removal did not modify relaxation induced by 17-beta-estradiol. The NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME (100 microM) only reduced significantly relaxati…
Pharmacological profile of phytoestrogens in cerebral vessels: in vitro study with rabbit basilar artery.
2003
As a previous step to consider their use in the pharmacology for stroke, we investigated the effects of four phytoestrogens (i.e. genistein, daidzein, zearalanone and biochanin A) on cerebral vessels. Cerebral vascular responses were analyzed by conventional recording of isometric tension in rabbit basilar artery segments kept in organ bath under standard conditions. The four phytoestrogens elicited concentration-dependent relaxant responses of different potency in basilar artery segments previously contracted with either 5x10(-2) M KCl or 10(-4) M UTP. Neither endothelium removal, 10(-4) M N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor), 10(-5) M1 H-[1…
Mechanism of the cardiovascular activity of laudanosine: comparison with papaverine and other benzylisoquinolines.
1994
1. The activity of (+/-)-laudanosine, a benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid, was investigated in pithed rats and rat isolated aorta. Its effects on [3H]-(+)-cis-diltiazem and [3H]-nitrendipine binding to rat cerebral cortical membranes, and on the different molecular forms of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDE) isolated from bovine aorta were investigated. 2. The dose-response curve to methoxamine (3-300 micrograms kg-1, i.v.) in normotensive pithed rats was shifted to the right by (+/-)-laudanosine, 3 and 6 mg kg-1. 3. (+/-)-Laudanosine inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner the contractile responses evoked by noradrenaline (NA 1 microM), depolarizing solution (KCl 80 mM) o…