doi: 10.1161/hy0202.103271
(Hypertension. 2002;39:245.)
© 2002 American Heart Association, Inc.
Scientific Contributions |
Important Role of Rho-kinase in the Pathogenesis of Cardiovascular Inflammation and Remodeling Induced by Long-Term Blockade of Nitric Oxide Synthesis in Rats
From the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyushu University (C.K., K.E., S.I., M.T., W.N., M.K., S.K., M.U., H.S., A.T.), Fukuoka, Japan; and Division of Signal Tranduction, Nara Institute of Science and Technology (K.K.), Ikoma, Japan.
Correspondence to Kensuke Egashira, MD, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. E-mail egashira{at}cardiol.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Chronic inhibition of endothelial NO synthesis by the administration of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) to rats induces early vascular inflammation (monocyte infiltration into coronary vessels and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression) as well as subsequent arteriosclerosis. The small GTPase Rho controls cell adhesion, motility, and proliferation and is activated by several growth factors such as angiotensin II. We investigated the effect of a specific inhibitor of Rho-kinase, Y-27632, in rats treated with L-NAME to determine the role of the Rho/Rho-kinase pathway in the development of arteriosclerosis. We found here increased activity of Rho/Rho-kinase after L-NAME administration and its prevention by angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade. Hydralazine or lecithinized superoxide dismutase (l-SOD) did not affect Rho/Rho-kinase activity. Co-treatment with Y-27632 did not affect the L-NAME-induced increase in cardiovascular tissue ACE activity or L-NAME-induced decrease in plasma NO concentrations, but did prevent the L-NAME-induced early inflammation and late coronary arteriosclerosis. In addition, Y-27632 prevented the increased gene expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and transforming growth factor-ß1 as well as cardiac fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis. These findings suggest that increased activity of Rho/Rho-kinase pathway mediated via the angiotensin II type 1 receptor may thus be important in the pathogenesis of early vascular inflammation and late remodeling induced by chronic inhibition of NO synthesis. The beneficial effects of Rho-kinase inhibition are not mediated by restoration of NO production. The Rho-kinase pathway could be a new therapeutic target for treatment of vascular diseases.
Key Words: Rho-kinase • arteriosclerosis • remodeling • nitric oxide • angiotensin
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