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The role of RhoA and Rho-associated kinase in vascular smooth muscle contraction

På svenska

Author

  • Karl Swärd
  • Mitsuo Mita
  • David P Wilson
  • Jing Ti Deng
  • Marija Susnjar
  • Michael P Walsh

Summary, in English

A variety of contractile agonists trigger activation of the small GTPase RhoA. An important target of activated RhoA in smooth muscle is Rho-associated kinase (ROK), one of the downstream targets that is the myosin binding subunit (MYPT1) of myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP). Phosphorylation of MYPT1 at T695 by activated ROK results in a decrease in phosphatase activity of MLCP and an increase in myosin light chain (LC(20)) phosphorylation catalyzed by Ca(2)(+)/calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase and/or a distinct Ca(2)(+)-independent kinase. LC(20) phosphorylation in turn triggers cross-bridge cycling and force development. ROK also phosphorylates the cytosolic protein CPI-17 (at T38), which thereby becomes a potent inhibitor of MLCP. The RhoA/ROK pathway has been implicated in the tonic phase of force maintenance in response to various agonists, with no evident role in the phasic response, suggesting this pathway as a potential target for antihypertensive therapy. Indeed, ROK inhibitors restore normal blood pressure in several rat hypertensive models.

Publishing year

2003

Language

English

Pages

66-72

Publication/Series

Current Hypertension Reports

Volume

5

Issue

1

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Current Medicine Group

Topic

  • Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1534-3111