Both estrogen and raloxifene cause G1 arrest of vascular smooth muscle cells.

The proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) is a crucial pathophysiological process in the development of atherosclerosis. Although estrogen is known to inhibit the proliferation of VSMC, the mechanism responsible for this effect remains to be elucidated. In addition, the effect of raloxifene on VSMC remains unknown. We have shown here that 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) and raloxifene significantly inhibited the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-stimulated proliferation of cultured human VSMC. Flow cytometry demonstrated that PDGF-stimulated S-phase progression of the cell cycle in VSMC was also suppressed by E(2) or raloxifene. We found that PDGF-induced phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (pRb), whose hyperphosphorylation is a hallmark of the G1-S transition in the cell cycle, was significantly inhibited by E(2) and raloxifene. These effects were associated with a decrease in cyclin D1 expression, without a change in cyclin-dependent kinase 4 or cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p27(kip1) expression. ICI 182,780 abolished the inhibitory effects of E(2) and raloxifene on PDGF-induced pRb phosphorylation. Next, we examined which estrogen receptor (ER) is necessary for these effects of E(2) and raloxifene. Since VSMC express both ERalpha and ERbeta, A10, a rat aortic smooth muscle cell line that expresses ERbeta but not ERalpha, was used. The dose-dependent stimulation of A10 cell proliferation by PDGF was not inhibited by E(2) or raloxifene in contrast to the results obtained in VSMC. Moreover, E(2) and raloxifene significantly inhibited the PDGF-induced cyclin D1 promoter activity in A10 cells transfected with cDNA for ERalpha but not in the parental cells. These results suggested that E(2) and raloxifene exert an antiproliferative effect in VSMC treated with PDGF, at least in part through inhibition of pRb phosphorylation, and that the inhibitory effects of E(2) and raloxifene may be mainly mediated by ERalpha.

Induction of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase phosphorylation by the raloxifene analog LY117018 is differentially mediated by Akt and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase in vascular endothelial cells.

Raloxifene is a tissue-selective estrogen receptor modulator. The effect of estrogen on cardiovascular disease is mainly dependent on direct actions on the vascular wall involving activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) via Akt and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) cascades. Although raloxifene is also known to activate eNOS in the vascular endothelium, the molecular mechanism responsible for this effect remains to be elucidated. In studies of both human umbilical vein endothelial cells and simian virus 40-transformed rat lung vascular endothelial cells (TRLECs), the raloxifene analog LY117018 caused acute phosphorylation of eNOS that was unaffected by actinomycin D and was blocked by the pure estrogen receptor antagonist ICI182,780. Activation of Akt by raloxifene reached a plateau at 15-30 min and declined thereafter, a similar time frame to that of Akt activation by 17beta-estradiol. On the other hand, both activation and phosphorylation of ERK by raloxifene showed a biphasic pattern (peaks at 5 min and 1 h), whereas ERK activation and phosphorylation by 17beta-estradiol reached a plateau at 5 min and declined thereafter. A MEK inhibitor, PD98059, had no effect on the raloxifene-induced Akt activity, suggesting an absence of cross-talk between the ERK and Akt cascades. Either exogenous expression of a dominant-negative Akt or pretreatment of TRLECs with PD98059 decreased the raloxifene-induced eNOS phosphorylation. Moreover, raloxifene stimulated the activation of Akt, ERK, and eNOS in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing estrogen receptor alpha but not Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing estrogen receptor beta. Our findings suggest that raloxifene-induced eNOS phosphorylation is mediated by estrogen receptor alpha via a nongenomic mechanism and is differentially mediated by Akt- and ERK-dependent cascades.

Estrogen induces the Akt-dependent activation of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase in vascular endothelial cells.

Although estrogen is known to activate endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in the vascular endothelium, the molecular mechanism responsible for this effect remains to be elucidated. In studies of both human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and simian virus 40-transformed rat lung vascular endothelial cells (TRLECs), 17beta-estradiol (E2), but not 17alpha-E2, caused acute activation of eNOS that was unaffected by actinomycin D and was specifically blocked by the pure estrogen receptor antagonist ICI-182,780. Treatment of both TRLECs and HUVECs with 17beta-E2 stimulated the activation of Akt, and the PI3K inhibitor wortmannin blocked the 17beta-E2-induced activation of Akt. 17beta-E2-induced Akt activation was also inhibited by ICI-182,780, but not by actinomycin D. Either treatment with wortmannin or exogenous expression of a dominant negative Akt in TRLECs decreased the 17beta-E2-induced eNOS activation. Moreover, 17beta-E2-induced Akt activation actually enhances the phosphorylation of eNOS. 17beta-E2-induced Akt activation was dependent on both extracellular and intracellular Ca(2+). We further examined the 17beta-E2-induced Akt activity in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transiently transfected with cDNAs for estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) or estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta). 17beta-E2 stimulated the activation of Akt in CHO cells expressing ERalpha but not in CHO cells expressing ERbeta. Our findings suggest that 17beta-E2 induced eNOS activation through an Akt-dependent mechanism, which is mediated by ERalpha via a nongenomic mechanism.

Inhibition of BAD phosphorylation either at serine 112 via extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase cascade or at serine 136 via Akt cascade sensitizes human ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin.

We studied the roles of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K)-protein kinase B/Akt-BAD cascade in both cisplatin-resistant Caov-3 and -sensitive A2780 human ovarian cancer cell lines. Treatment of both Caov-3 and A2780 cells with cisplatin but not with the trans-diaminodichloroplatinum (transplatin) isomer stimulated the activation of Akt, and the PI-3K inhibitor wortmannin blocked the cisplatin-induced activation of Akt. Treatment of both Caov-3 and A2780 cells with cisplatin but not with the trans-diaminodichloroplatinum isomer also stimulated the phosphorylation of BAD at both the Ser-112 and Ser-136 sites. Whereas the phosphorylation of BAD at Ser-136 was blocked by treatment with wortmannin, its phosphorylation at Ser-112 was blocked by a MAP/ERK kinase inhibitor, PD98059. Exogenous expression of a dominant-negative Akt in both Caov-3 and A2780 cells decreased the cell viability after treatment with cisplatin. In contrast, no sensitization to cisplatin was observed in cells expressing wild-type Akt. We further examined the role of BAD in the viability after cisplatin treatment using BAD mutants. Exogenous expression of each of the singly substituted BADS112A or BADS136A in both Caov-3 and A2780 cells decreased the viability after treatment with cisplatin to a degree intermediate between that caused by exogenous expression of wild-type BAD and doubly substituted BAD2SA. Cisplatin did not stimulate the phosphorylation of BAD Ser-136, but did stimulate the phosphorylation of BAD Ser-112 in cells expressing a dominant-negative Akt, suggesting that BAD Ser-136 but not Ser-112 was phosphorylated by Akt. Our findings suggest that cisplatin-induced DNA damage causes the phosphorylation of both BAD Ser-112 via an extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) cascade and BAD Ser-136 via a PI-3K-protein kinase B/Akt cascade and that inhibition of either of these cascades sensitizes ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin.

Activation of the luteinizing hormone beta promoter by gonadotropin-releasing hormone requires c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase.

Regulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the gonadotrope cell line LbetaT2 was investigated. Treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) activates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK). Activation of ERK by GnRHa occurred within 5 min, and declined thereafter, whereas activation of JNK by GnRHa occurred with a different time frame, i.e. it was detectable at 5 min, reached a plateau at 30 min, and declined thereafter. GnRHa-induced ERK activation was dependent on protein kinase C or extracellular and intracellular Ca(2+), whereas GnRHa-induced JNK activation was not dependent on protein kinase C or on extracellular or intracellular Ca(2+). To determine whether a mitogen-activated protein kinase family cascade regulates rat luteinizing hormone beta (LHbeta) promoter activity, we transfected the rat LHbeta (-156 to +7)-luciferase construct into LbetaT2 cells. GnRH activated the rat LHbeta promoter activity in a time-dependent manner. Neither treatment with a mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor, PD98059, nor cotransfection with a catalytically inactive form of a mitogen-activated protein kinase construct inhibited the induction of the rat LHbeta promoter by GnRH. Furthermore, cotransfection with a dominant negative Ets had no effect on the response of the rat LHbeta promoter to GnRH. On the other hand, cotransfection with either dominant negative JNK or dominant negative c-Jun significantly inhibited the induction of the rat LHbeta promoter by GnRH. In addition, GnRH did not induce either the rat LHbeta promoter activity in LbetaT2 cells transfected stably with dominant negative c-Jun. These results suggest that GnRHa differentially activates ERK and JNK, and a JNK cascade is necessary to elicit the rat LHbeta promoter activity in a c-Jun-dependent mechanism in LbetaT2 cells.

Prolactin-releasing peptide activation of the prolactin promoter is differentially mediated by extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase.

Regulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family by prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) in both GH3 rat pituitary tumor cells and primary cultures of rat anterior pituitary cells was investigated. PrRP rapidly and transiently activated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) in both types of cells. Both pertussis toxin, which inactivates G(i)/G(o) proteins, and exogenous expression of a peptide derived from the carboxyl terminus of the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase I, which specifically blocks signaling mediated by the betagamma subunits of G proteins, completely blocked the PrRP-induced ERK activation, suggesting the involvement of G(i)/G(o) proteins in the PrRP-induced ERK activation. Down-regulation of cellular protein kinase C did not significantly inhibit the PrRP-induced ERK activation, suggesting that a protein kinase C-independent pathway is mainly involved. PrRP-induced ERK activation was not dependent on either extracellular Ca(2+) or intracellular Ca(2+). However, the ERK cascade was not the only route by which PrRP communicated with the nucleus. JNK was also shown to be significantly activated in response to PrRP. JNK activation in response to PrRP was slower than ERK activation. Moreover, to determine whether a MAPK family cascade regulates rat prolactin (rPRL) promoter activity, we transfected the intact rPRL promoter ligated to the firefly luciferase reporter gene into GH3 cells. PrRP activated the rPRL promoter activity in a time-dependent manner. Co-transfection with a catalytically inactive form of a MAPK construct or a dominant negative JNK, partially but significantly inhibited the induction of the rPRL promoter by PrRP. Furthermore, co-transfection with a dominant negative Ets completely abolished the response of the rPRL promoter to PrRP. These results suggest that PrRP differentially activates ERK and JNK, and both cascades are necessary to elicit rPRL promoter activity in an Ets-dependent mechanism.

Involvement of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase in gliosis induced during recovery from metabolic inhibition.

Brain reperfusion may be of particular importance in the etiology of periventricular leukomalacia, of which the common findings are gliosis and ventricular dilatation. To investigate the mechanism of this pathogenesis, we used a metabolic inhibition (MI) model using cyanide plus deoxyglucose treatment of cultured glia isolated from fetal rat brain and examined the activity of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) during MI and also during the recovery from MI of 30 min. ERK activation was stimulated during MI and the recovery from MI. The time course and extent of activation of ERK during MI and the recovery from MI, however, were distinctly different. Activation of ERK was stimulated within 5 min of MI and declined thereafter. Activation of ERK was sustained during the recovery phase from MI and the extent of the activation was much greater than that during MI. Pretreatment with EGTA to eliminate extracellular Ca(2+), or with APV, an NMDA receptor antagonist, to inhibit Ca(2+) influx through the NMDA receptor, attenuated the activation of ERK. Moreover, pretreatment with PMA to downregulate PKC abolished the activation of ERK. PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK kinase, attenuated the cell proliferation induced by MI followed by recovery from MI. These results suggest that ERK is involved in gliosis during the recovery phase from MI and may play a role in the etiology of periventricular leukomalacia.