Abstract
Angiotensin II (Ang II) is central to the pathobiology of atherosclerosis. In endothelial cells (EC), Ang II induces apoptosis. The MAP kinase ERK1/2 plays a key role in regulating cell survival. We therefore investigated the effect of Ang II on ERK1/2. Incubation of EC with Ang II led to the dephosphorylation of ERK1/2 (43 % of control). To characterize the phosphatase involved, we investigated the effect of Ang II on MAP kinase phosphatase expression. Ang II induced MAP kinase phosphatase-3 (MKP-3) mRNA levels to about 2-fold, whereas MKP-1 expression was not affected. Transfection with a dominant negative MKP-3 construct (dnMKP-3mt) prevented the Ang II-induced ERK1/2 dephosphorylation and apoptosis in EC (p < 0.001). ERK1/2 inactivation has been shown to result in the dephosphorylation and proteasomal degradation of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2. Ang II induced the degradation of Bcl-2 wild type, whereas the dephosphorylation-resistant Bcl-2 construct mimicking phosphorylation by ERK1/2 was resistant to Ang II stimulation. These results indicate that Ang II-induced apoptosis signaling in human EC is mediated via MKP-3-dependent dephosphorylation of ERK1/2, which in turn leads to the degradation of Bcl-2.
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Received: 11 April 2001, Returned for revision: 9 May 2001, Revision received: 30 May 2001, Accepted: 1 June 2001
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Rössig, L., Hermann, C., Haendeler, J. et al. Angiotensin II-induced upregulation of MAP kinase phosphatase-3 mRNA levels mediates endothelial cell apotosis. Basic Res Cardiol 97, 1–8 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s395-002-8381-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s395-002-8381-2