Cardiovascular Research Advance Access [Accepted Manuscript] published online on May 21, 2009
Cardiovascular Research, doi:10.1093/cvr/cvp163
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Regulation of protease-activated receptor-1 by vasodilatory prostaglandins via NFAT
Institut für Pharmakologie und Klinische Pharmakologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Germany
Correspondence to: Karsten Schrör, Institut für Pharmakologie und Klinische Pharmakologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY Phone: +49-211-81-12500, FAX: +49-211-81-14781. e-mail: karsten.schroer{at}uni-duesseldorf.de
Aims: We recently reported that prostacyclin suppresses protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) in human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) via cyclic AMP and protein kinase A. This study examines the downstream mechanisms, particularly the role of nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT).
Methods and Results: Human saphenous vein VSMC were exposed to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) to induce endogenous cyclooxygenase-2-dependent prostaglandin generation. This was found to attenuate PAR-1 expression; similar suppression was seen with the EP2-prostaglandin receptor agonist butaprost. Stimulation of the "effector protein directly activated by cyclic AMP" (EPAC) was without effect. The NFAT inhibitor cyclosporin A (CsA) or NFAT2 siRNA both reduced PAR-1 mRNA and protein expression, and prevented the stimulatory effects of thrombin or PAR-1 activating peptide (TFLLRN) on ERK1/2 phosphorylation and interleukin-6 expression. CsA or mutation of the NFAT binding motif in the PAR-1 promoter also blunted PAR-1 promoter activity (luciferase reporter assay). These inhibitory actions of CsA were comparable to those of the prostacyclin-mimetic iloprost, and both CsA and iloprost similarly attenuated nuclear NFAT2 localisation and binding to the PAR-1 promoter (chromatin immunoprecipitation assay).
Conclusions: This study provides the first evidence that NFAT2 contributes to the transcriptional control of PAR-1 in human VSMC and that PKA-dependent NFAT2 inhibition represents a mechanism by which vasodilatory prostaglandins regulate the vascular actions of thrombin.
Time for primary review: 27 Days