H-ras deletion protects against angiotensin II-induced arterial hypertension and cardiac remodeling through protein kinase G-I{beta} pathway activation [Research]

Ras proteins regulate cell survival, growth, differentiation, blood pressure, and fibrosis in some organs. We have demonstrated that H-ras gene deletion produces mice hypotension via a soluble guanylate cyclase-protein kinase G (PKG)–dependent mechanism. In this study, we analyzed the consequences of H-ras deletion on cardiac remodeling induced by continuous angiotensin II (AngII) infusion and the molecular mechanisms implied. Left ventricular posterior wall thickness and mass and cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area were similar between AngII-treated H-Ras knockout (H-ras^–/–) and control wild-type (H-ras^+/+) mice, as were extracellular matrix protein expression. Increased cardiac PKG-Iβ protein expression in H-ras^–/– mice suggests the involvement of this protein in heart protection. Ex vivo experiments on cardiac explants could support this mechanism, as PKG blockade blunted protection against AngII-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis markers in H-ras^–/– mice. Genetic modulation studies in cardiomyocytes and cardiac and embryonic fibroblasts revealed that the lack of H-Ras down-regulates the B-RAF/MEK/ERK pathway, which induces the glycogen synthase kinase-3β-dependent activation of the transcription factor, cAMP response element-binding protein, which is responsible for PKG-Iβ overexpression in H-ras^–/– mouse embryonic fibroblasts. This study demonstrates that H-ras deletion protects against AngII-induced cardiac remodeling, possibly via a mechanism in which PKG-Iβ overexpression could play a partial role, and points to H-Ras and/or downstream proteins as potential therapeutic targets in cardiovascular disease.—Martín-Sánchez, P., Luengo, A., Griera, M., Orea, M. J., López-Olañeta, M., Chiloeches, A., Lara-Pezzi, E., de Frutos, S., Rodríguez-Puyol, M., Calleros, L., Rodríguez-Puyol, D. H-ras deletion protects against angiotensin II–induced arterial hypertension and cardiac remodeling through protein kinase G-Iβ pathway activation.

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