Rho激酶与支架内再狭窄

目的 支架内再狭窄与血管平滑肌分化、迁移,细胞外基质的过度增值所致新生内膜增生密切相关.Rho激酶参与支架置入引起的新生内膜增生的调节.长期抑制Rho激酶的表达可阻止新生内膜的增生,可能成为防止支架内再狭窄的一种方法.     

Rho/Rho激酶与缺血性脑卒中

Rho／Rho激酶是具有信息传导和分子开关功能的信号多肽，多种病理因素可使中枢神经系统等组织内Rho激酶异常激活。在神经系统，异常激活的Rho／Rho激酶与血管痉挛、缺血性神经元损伤密切相关，通过多种途径参与缺血性脑卒中的病理过程。本研究阐述缺血性脑卒中发病过程中，Rho／Rho激酶可能作用机制及Rho激酶抑制剂在缺血性脑卒中的应用。     

Rho/Rho激酶系统在脑血管病中的作用

近年来,Rho/Rho-激酶系统在血管病发病机制中的作用逐渐被人们所认识。它通过多种途径导致蛛网膜下腔出血后血管痉挛、动脉粥样硬化和高血压的形成,加重缺血性卒中的神经功能损伤,还参与血管炎性反应和血管成形术后的再狭窄,并且是其形成和发展的重要环节。选择性Rho激酶抑制剂对这些脑血管病的预防和治疗作用已在许多动物和临床试验中被证实,其临床应用前景广阔。     

Rho/Rho激酶信号通路与缺氧性肺动脉高压

缺氧性肺动脉高压(hypoxic pulmonaryhypertension,HPH)是一些先天性心血管疾病和慢性肺部疾病最常见的并发症,以肺血管收缩反应性增强和肺血管结构重构为特征,其发生机制尚未完全清楚。近年来研究表明,Rho/Rho激酶信号通路在急性缺氧性肺血管收缩和慢性缺氧引起的肺动脉高压和肺血管结构重构过程中发挥重要作用。1 Rho/Rho激酶信号通路的生物学特征Rho/Rho激酶信号转导通路的关键信号分子包括Rho蛋白、Rho激酶和肌球蛋白磷酸酶。Rho蛋白为小分子鸟苷酸结合蛋白(又称小G蛋白),是Ras蛋白超家族成员。在哺乳动物细胞内有RhoA、RhoB、R…     

Rho/Rho激酶信号通路与缺血性脑血管病

Rho/Rho激酶信号通路是体内普遍存在的一条信号通路,它通过调节细胞内肌动蛋白骨架的聚合状态而扮演着"分子开关"角色,参与多种细胞功能.Rho/Rho激酶信号通路在缺血性脑血管病的危险因素、发病机制和病理生理学过程中发挥着重要作用,抑制Rho/Rho激酶信号通路能够取得显著的神经保护作用.     

Rho/Rho激酶与动脉粥样硬化的研究进展

<正> 随着对促动脉粥样硬化因子的深入研究,Rho/Rho激酶途径逐渐受到人们的关注。现已发现,Rho/Rho激酶参与细胞黏附、迁移、平滑肌细胞收缩及胞质分裂等的调节,而这些细胞功能均参与了动脉粥样硬化的发生与发展。动物实验及临床研究均证明,Rho/Rho激酶与动脉粥样硬化、高血压、心肌缺血等心血管疾病的发病过程相关。因此,对     

Rho/Rho激酶信号通路与低氧所致肺纤维化

小G蛋白Rho参与了细胞黏附、迁移、生长、细胞收缩及细胞分裂等多种生物学行为.近来研究显示Rho/Rho激酶信号通路的异常活化参与了肺部疾病的发生,如肺动脉高压和肺纤维化.低氧作为一种潜在的促纤维化因素主要通过促内皮细胞凋亡、血管生成及炎症反应的调节来参与纤维化的发生.且Rho/Rho激酶信号通路与低氧所致肺纤维化的过程中所涉及主要细胞因子都有着直接或IhJ接的关系.因此,本文就Rho/Rho激酶信号通路的生物学特征及其与低氧致肺纤维化过程中细胞凶子的关系作一综述.     

Rho相关激酶与脑血管病

脑血管病的致残率和病死率均很高,危害极大.许多研究发现,诸多因子参与了脑血管病的病理生理学过程,其中包括Rho相关激酶.文章就Rho相关激酶在脑血管病病理生理学过程中的作用机制做了综述.     

Rho激酶对急性冠状动脉综合征患者复合心血管不良事件的影响

目的:探讨Rho激酶活性对急性冠状动脉综合征(ACS)患者长期预后的影响。方法:入选ACS患者280例为观察组,同期冠状动脉(冠脉)造影证实冠脉无异常的患者120例为对照组,观察组根据Rho激酶活性的高低分为高活性组和低活性组,记录观察组和对照组在Rho激酶、高敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP)水平上的差异,记录观察组亚组间Rho激酶、hs-CRP水平和6个月复合心血管不良事件(非致命的心肌梗死、心力衰竭、心绞痛、再次血运重建和心源性死亡)发生率的差异,评价Rho激酶对ACS患者中长期预后的影响。结果:观察组Rho激酶和hs-CRP水平明显高于对照组(P0.05);观察组亚组间高活性组的hs-CRP水平明显高于低活性组(P0.05);随访1个月高活性组Rho激酶和hs-CRP水平仍显著高于低活性组(P0.05);随访6个月观察组亚组间Rho激酶和hs-CRP水平无显著差异,Rho激酶高活性组复合心血管事件的发生率高于低活性组,有显著差异(P0.05)。相关性分析显示,Rho激酶与hs-CRP呈正相关,Logistic回归分析显示Rho激酶活性是影响ACS患者6个月复合心血管事件发生率的独立预测因素(P=0.028)。结论:Rho激酶是一个与ACS患者相关的炎性因子,与hs-CRP呈正相关,可作为ACS患者中长期预后的独立预测因子。     

Rho/Rho激酶信号通路与冠心病

Rho/Rho激酶信号通路是体内普通存在的一条信号转导通路,它通过调节细胞内肌动蛋白骨架的聚合状态参与多种细胞功能,包括细胞收缩、迁移、黏附、增殖、凋亡及基因表达等。Rho/Rho激酶信号通路的异常激活在冠心病的发病机制和病理生理中发挥了重要作用,对此信号转导通路的研究可以为冠心病的预防和治疗提供新的靶点。现就Rho/Rho激酶信号通路的特征及其与冠心病的关系作一综述。     

Inhibition of Rho-kinase by fasudil preventing anginal attacks associated with spastic angina: a case report

An 86-year-old woman was admitted with unstable angina pectoris. Plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA) was performed for 90% stenosis at segment 7 of the left coronary artery with concomitant treatment with nitrate, calcium antagonists, and nicorandil. Five days after POBA, she again suffered chest pain at rest with ST depression by electrocardiography, despite increased doses of calcium-antagonist and nicorandil. Coronary arteriography showed no evidence of restenosis (50%) at the POBA site. The involvement of coronary artery spasm was considered and intravenous treatment with a Rho-kinase inhibitor, fasudil, was started, which resulted in disappearance of the anginal attacks. She refused to continue the fasudil treatment on day 5, which resulted in reappearance of anginal attacks. Third coronary angiography showed a 90% restenosis at POBA site and percutaneous coronary intervention was again performed. This case suggests that a Rho-kinase inhibitor is potentially effective to prevent anginal attacks in spastic angina.     

Critical role of Rho-kinase pathway for cardiac performance and remodeling in failing rat hearts

OBJECTIVES: Rho and Rho-kinase play a critical role in the regulation of cellular functions such as proliferation and migration. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms that regulate cardiac function and cardiovascular remodeling, we determined whether the signaling pathway through Rho is involved in Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats with congestive heart failure (CHF) using a specific Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y-27632. METHODS: Y-27632 was administered from the left ventricular hypertrophy stage (11 weeks) to the CHF stage (18 weeks) for 7 weeks. The left ventricular end-systolic pressure-volume relationship (contractility: E(es)) was evaluated using a conductance catheter. RESULTS: Downregulated E(es) in the CHF stage was significantly ameliorated by Y-27632 treatment. Increased RhoA protein, Rho-kinase gene expression and myosin light chain phosphorylations in CHF rats were suppressed by Y-27632. Upregulated proto-oncogene c-fos gene expression in CHF rats was decreased by inhibiting Rho-kinase. In contrast, Y-27632 showed no effect on upregulated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and p70S6 kinase phosphorylations, which were reported to be involved in protein synthesis. In the CHF stage, Y-27632 effectively inhibited vascular lesion formation such as medial thickness and perivascular fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that differential activation of the Rho-Rho-kinase and the ERK-p70S6 kinase pathways may play a critical role in CHF, and the Rho-Rho-kinase pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of cardiac dysfunction and cardiovascular remodeling. Thus, inhibition of the Rho-kinase pathway may be at least a potential therapeutic strategy for CHF.     

Rho-kinase inhibitor suppressed restenosis in porcine coronary balloon angioplasty

BACKGROUND: Constrictive remodeling is thought to be more important than neointimal formation in coronary restenosis after balloon angioplasty. The inhibition of Rho-kinase prevents neointimal proliferation, but now this inhibition that affects constrictive remodeling remains unknown. To explore this issue further, we investigated whether a specific Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y-27632, could suppress restenosis after coronary balloon angioplasty in a porcine model. METHODS: Balloon angioplasty with local administration of Y-27632 (Y group) or vehicle (C group) was performed at 2 and 3 weeks after overstretch injury in a porcine coronary artery. Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and quantitative coronary ultrasound (QCU) were performed to assess the coronary lesion segment. A morphometrical analysis was performed in a histological study. Proliferative cells and p27(Kip1)-positive cells were evaluated in the arterial wall using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: QCA and QCU demonstrated that the minimal lumen diameter and minimal lumen area were greater, and % stenosis was less in the Y group than in the C group. The QCU analysis also revealed a significant inhibition in the increase of the intimal area and a prevention of constrictive remodeling by Y-27632. In the histological study, the intimal, adventitial and collagen areas were significantly smaller in the Y group than in the C group. The Y group also exhibited significantly less proliferative activity and a significantly higher percentage of cells expressing p27(Kip1) in the arterial wall. CONCLUSION: Local delivery of Y-27632 suppressed constrictive remodeling as well as neointimal formation after coronary balloon angioplasty in pigs.     

Inflammatory stimuli upregulate Rho-kinase in human coronary vascular smooth muscle cells

Recent studies have demonstrated that upregulated Rho-kinase plays an important role in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis and vasospasm in both animals and humans. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism(s) involved in the Rho-kinase upregulation. Since inflammatory mechanisms have been implicated in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis and vasospasm, we examined whether inflammatory stimuli upregulate Rho-kinase in vitro and in vivo. In cultured human coronary vascular smooth muscle cells (hcVSMC), inflammatory stimuli, such as angiotensin II and interleukin-1beta, increased Rho-kinase expression (at both mRNA and protein levels) and function (as evaluated by the extent of the phosphorylation of the ERM (the ezrin/radixin/moesin) family, substrates of Rho-kinase) in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The expression of Rho-kinase was inhibited by blockades of protein kinase C (PKC) (by either GF109253 or prolonged treatment with phorbol myristate acetate for 24 h) and an adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of dominant-active Ikappa-B, suggesting an involvement of PKC and NF-kappaB in the intracellular signal transduction pathway for the Rho-kinase expression. Furthermore, coronary vascular lesion formation (characterized by medial thickening and perivascular fibrosis) induced by a long-term administration of angiotensin II was markedly suppressed in NF-kappaB(-/-) mice with reduced expression and activity of Rho-kinase in vivo. These results indicate that the expression and function of Rho-kinase are upregulated by inflammatory stimuli (e.g. angiotensin II and IL-1beta) in hcVSMC with an involvement of PKC and NF-kappaB both in vitro and in vivo.     

Important role of Rho-kinase in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular inflammation and remodeling induced by long-term blockade of nitric oxide synthesis in rats

Chronic inhibition of endothelial NO synthesis by the administration of N(G)-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-beta1 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.     

Rho-kinase is an important therapeutic target in cardiovascular medicine

Rho-kinase has been identified as one of the effectors of the small GTP-binding protein Rho. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that Rho/Rho-kinase pathway plays an important role in various cellular functions, not only in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) contraction but also in actin cytoskeleton organization, cell adhesion and motility, cytokinesis, and gene expressions, all of which may be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. At molecular level, Rho-kinase upregulates various molecules that accelerate inflammation/oxidative stress, thrombus formation, and fibrosis, whereas it downregulates endothelial nitric oxide synthase. The expression of Rho-kinase itself is mediated by protein kinase C/NF-kappaB pathway with an inhibitory and stimulatory modulation by estrogen and nicotine, respectively. At cellular level, Rho-kinase mediates VSMC hypercontraction, stimulates VSMC proliferation and migration, and enhances inflammatory cell motility. In animal studies, Rho-kinase has been shown to be substantially involved in the pathogenesis of vasospasm, arteriosclerosis, ischemia/reperfusion injury, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, stroke and heart failure, and to enhance central sympathetic nerve activity. Finally, in clinical studies, fasudil, a Rho-kinase inhibitor, is effective for the treatment of a wide range of cardiovascular disease, including cerebral and coronary vasospasm, angina, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, and heart failure, with a reasonable safety. Thus, Rho-kinase is an important therapeutic target in cardiovascular medicine.     

Immunohistochemical analysis of target proteins of Rho-kinase in a mouse model of accelerated atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND: The pleiotropic antiatherosclerotic effects of statins are believed to be associated with the inhibition of Rho-kinase. However, a systematic analysis of Rho-kinase activation in atherosclerotic lesions is missing. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the distribution and phosphorylation of target proteins of Rho-kinase, such as myosin light chain (MLC) and ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) proteins, in the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout model of accelerated atherosclerosis, as well as the effects of treatment with the Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632. METHOD: Western diet-fed ApoE-deficient mice underwent carotid ligation and were sacrificed 14 days after surgery. One group of ligated mice was treated with the Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632. Nonligated C57Bl6/J mice on normal chow and ApoE-deficient mice on Western diet were used as controls. Lesion structure and size were analyzed using Masson-elastic stained cross-sections. The distribution and phosphorylation of Rho-kinase target proteins were studied immunohistochemically. RESULTS: Two weeks after surgery, atherosclerotic plaque-like lesions developed in ligated carotids. Lesion development was inhibited by Y-27632. ERM was expressed ubiquitously, but in the intact arteries, it was phosphorylated exclusively in the endothelium and periadventitial adipocytes. In the atherosclerotic lesions, foamy macrophages also exhibited a strong phospho-ERM signal. Y-27632 inhibited ERM phosphorylation in the plaques. MLC and phospho-MLC were associated with smooth muscle cells and did not respond to the Y-27632 treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A cell type-selective distribution and phosphorylation of target proteins of Rho-kinase were demonstrated in the carotid artery of the normal mouse model, as well as in the ApoE-knockout model of accelerated atherosclerosis. Various downstream targets of the same enzyme may be differentially involved in specific pathological processes in a cell type-specific manner.     

Long-term inhibition of Rho-kinase induces a regression of arteriosclerotic coronary lesions in a porcine model in vivo

OBJECTIVE: We recently demonstrated that Rho-kinase/ROK/ROCK is functionally upregulated at the arteriosclerotic coronary lesions and plays a key role for coronary vasospastic responses in our porcine model with interleukin (IL)-1beta. In the present study, we tested our hypothesis that Rho-kinase is involved in the pathogenesis of coronary arteriosclerosis per se in our porcine model. METHODS: Segments of the left porcine coronary artery were chronically treated from the adventitia with IL-1beta. Two weeks after the procedure, coronary stenotic lesions with constrictive remodeling and vasospastic response to serotonin were noted at the IL-1beta-treated site, as previously reported. Then, animals were randomly divided into two groups; one group was treated with fasudil for 8 weeks followed by 1 or 4 weeks of washout period and another group served as a control. After oral absorption, fasudil is metabolized to hydroxyfasudil that is a specific inhibitor of Rho-kinase. RESULTS: In the fasudil group, coronary stenosis and vasospastic response were progressively reduced in vivo, while the coronary hyperreactivity was abolished both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed that in the fasudil group, the Rho-kinase activity (as evaluated by the extent of phosphorylation of myosin binding subunit of myosin phosphatase, one of the major substrates of Rho-kinase) was significantly reduced, while histological examination demonstrated a marked regression of the coronary constrictive remodeling. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that Rho-kinase is substantially involved in constrictive remodeling and vasospastic activity of the arteriosclerotic coronary artery, both of which could be reversed by long-term inhibition of the molecule in vivo. Thus, Rho-kinase may be regarded as a novel therapeutic target for arteriosclerotic vascular disease.