ABSTRACT
AIM: To study the roles and mechanisms of ERKs and intracellular free calcium in cardiomyocyte hypertrophic response induced by endothelin-1(ET-1). METHODS: (1) Neonatal rat cardiomyocyte hypertrophic response was assayed by measuring cell surface area and protein content; (2) ERKs activity was determined by Whatman Paper Filter method; (3) Intracellular free calcium concentration (［Ca2+］i) was measured using Fura-2/AM as a fluorescent indicator. RESULTS: (1) ET-1 could increase total protein production, surface area, ERKs activity and ［Ca2+］i in cultured cardiomyocyte in dose-dependent manner at concentrations ranging from 10-9 to 10-7 mol/L. And this effect could be abolished by BQ123, an antagonist of ETA receptor, partly inhibited by PTX, but not by BQ788, an antagonist of ETB receptor.（2）The activation of ERKs and the increase of ［Ca2+］i induced by ET-1 were obviously inhibited by PD98059, a selective ERKs kinase inhibitor, and nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker, respectively. Both antagonists partially inhibited ET-1-stimulated cardiomyocyte hypertrophic response. (3) Staurosporine, a selective PKC inhibitor, could inhibit ET-1-stimulated cardiomyocyte hypertrophic response and increase of ［Ca2+］i, but not affect the activation of ERKs. CONCLUSION: Cardiomyocyte hypertrophic response induced by ET-1 is mediated by ETA receptor coupled to PTX-sensitive G-protein, which involves at least two signalling pathways: PKC-mediated increase of ［Ca2+］i , and PKC-independent activation of ERKs.
ABSTRACT
AIM: To establish the monoclonal antibody against human B lymphocyte stimulator (hBLyS) by DNA immunization and analyse its characterization. METHODS: The 858 bp DNA fragment of hBLyS was cloned into pcDNA3 plasmids. The cloned insert was identified by both sequence analysis and double digestion of the recombinant plasmid with restriction enzymes Xho I and EcoR I . After the splenocytes from BALB/c mice immunized with the recombinant plasmid of pcDNA3/hBLyS were fused with myeloma cells SP2/0,the hybridoma which can produce monoclonal antibodies against hBLyS were obtained. The specificity of anti-BLyS monoclonal antibody from hybridoma was verified by ELISA, Western blot and flow cytometry. RESULTS: The recombinant mammalian cell expression vector of pcDNA3/hBLyS was constructed, the sequence of the insert gene was identified to be the sequence encoding hBLy S antigen. The culture supernatants of hybridoma 9c10 were tested to be the monoclonal antibody with specificity against hBLyS on human peripheral blood CD3 + T cell activated by hIFN-? by ELISA, Western blot and flow cytometry. CONCLUSION: The monoclonal antibodies against hBLyS with high activity and specificity have been established successfully, and will be an useful tool in the studies of relationship between hBLyS and human autoimmunity diseases.
ABSTRACT
AIM: To investigate the effect of caveolin-1 on the endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) proliferation. METHODS: The -thymidine (TdR) incorporation, immunofluorescence assays and western blotting were used in this study. RESULTS: The ETA receptor specific antagonist BQ123 inhibited the increase in TdR incorporation in response to ET-1 on VSMC. Immunofluorescence assays showed that caveolin-1 was mostly distributed in plasmalemma of VSMC. After 24 h treatment of VSMC with ET-1, the expression of caveolin-1 in VSMC was significantly decreased. Western blotting showed that ET-1 inhibited the expression of caveolin-1 in VSMC, BQ123 reversed the effect of ET-1. CONCLUSION: Caveolin-1 was mostly distributed in plasmalemma of VSMC. ET-1 downregulated caveolin-1 expression in VSMC via ETA receptor.