Bradykinin-stimulated protein synthesis by myocytes is dependent on the MAP kinase pathway and p70(S6K).

Bradykinin (BK) has a direct hypertrophic effect on rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (VCM) as defined by an increase in protein synthesis and an increase in atrial natriuretic peptide mRNA and secretion. In the current study, we have examined the dependence of BK-induced protein synthesis on activation of 90-kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (p90(rsk)) and 70-kDa S6 kinase (p70(S6K)). Both of these kinases possess the ability to phosphorylate the ribosomal protein S6, which plays an important role in initiating mRNA translation. Stimulation of adult VCM with 10 microM BK increased p90(rsk) activity by 2.5 +/- 0.3-fold and increased p70(S6K) activity by 2.0 +/- 0.3-fold. p90(rsk) is a terminal kinase in the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. Inhibition of MAP kinase kinase activation by Raf in the MAP kinase pathway with PD-098059 (25 microM) blocked BK-stimulated activation of p90(rsk) by 70% and unexpectedly blocked p70(S6K) by 72%. Rapamycin inhibited BK-stimulated p70(S6K) activity by 93% but had no effect on p90(rsk) activation by BK. Inhibition of the MAP kinase pathway and p70(S6K) with PD-098059 was paralleled by changes in protein synthesis. BK (10 microM) increased [3H]phenylalanine incorporation by 27 +/- 3 and 39 +/- 6% in cultured adult and neonatal VCM, respectively. Treatment with PD-098059 or rapamycin abolished the increase in protein synthesis stimulated by BK. These results suggest that 1) BK activates p70(S6K) and p90(rsk); 2) although both p70(S6K) and p90(rsk) have the potential to phosphorylate the ribosomal S6 protein, p70(S6K) and not p90(rsk) is the predominant kinase involved in increasing protein synthesis by BK; and 3) p70(S6K) activation is dependent on stimulation of the MAP kinase pathway at a point distal to Raf.