ToxSci Advance Access published online on August 20, 2008
Toxicological Sciences, doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfn173
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Lipid soluble smoke particles up-regulate vascular smooth muscle ETB receptors via activation of mitogen activating protein kinases and NF-kappaB pathways.




* Division of Experimental Vascular Research, Institute of Clinical Science in Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
Department of Clinical and Experimental Research, Glostrup Hospital, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
Correspondence should be addressed to: Cang-Bao Xu, MD, PhD, Division of Experimental Vascular Research, BMC A13, WNC, Institute of Clinical Science in Lund, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden, Phone: +46-46-2220825. Fax: +46-46-2220616. Email: Cang-Bao.Xu{at}med.lu.se
Received May 10, 2008; revision received July 20, 2008; accepted August 12, 2008
| Abstract |
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Cigarette smoke is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms that lead to cigarette smoke-associated cardiovascular disease remain elusive. With functional and molecular methods, we demonstrate for the first time that lipid soluble cigarette smoke particles (DSP) increased the expression of endothelin type B (ETB) receptors in arterial smooth muscle cells. The increased ETB receptors in arterial smooth muscle cells was documented as enhanced contractility (sensitive myograph technique), elevated levels of ETB receptor mRNA (quantitative real-time PCR) and protein expressions (immunohistochemistry and Western blotting). Intracellular signalling was studied with Western blotting and phosphoELISA; this revealed that DSP induced extracellular-regulated protein kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), p38 and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-
B) phosphorylation within 3 hours. Blocking ERK1/2, p38 or NF-
B activation by their specific inhibitors significantly attenuated the DSP-induced up-regulation of ETB receptor-mediated contraction and both ETB receptor mRNA and protein expression. In addition, dexamethasone abolished the DSP-induced up-regulation of ETB receptor-mediated contraction. In conclusion, up-regulation of ETB receptors by DSP in arterial smooth muscle cells involves activation of mitogen activating protein kinases (ERK1/2 and p38) and the downstream transcriptional factor NF-
B pathways.
Key Words: smoking; ETB receptor; MAPK; VSMC; vascular disease.