Endothelin-1 inhibits apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells induced by nitric oxide and serum deprivation via MAP kinase pathway.

Endothelin (ET)-1, an endothelium-derived vasoconstrictor and mitogen, acts as an antiapoptotic factor against serum deprivation-induced apoptosis of endothelial cells and fibroblasts but enhances apoptosis of some cancer cells. In the present study, we examined whether nitric oxide (NO) and ET-1 modulate apoptosis of rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) via the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. Both serum deprivation and NO donors (FK409 and SNAP) caused apoptosis of VSMCs, as demonstrated by TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling, appearance of fragmented DNA, and induction of caspase-3 activity. ET-1 dose-dependently antagonized apoptosis induced by serum deprivation and NO donors. A selective ET(A) receptor antagonist (BQ123) and a nonselective ET(A/B) receptor antagonist (TAK044), but not a selective ET(B) receptor antagonist (BQ788), inhibited the antiapoptotic effect of ET-1, indicating that the antiapoptotic effect of ET-1 is mediated via the ET(A) receptor. ET-1 activated MAP kinase, whose effect was inhibited by FK409. Transfection with an unphosphorylated wild-type MAP kinase kinase-1 (MAPKK-1) or its constitutively activated mutant protected VSMCs against apoptosis induced by serum deprivation and NO donors. Inhibition of MAP kinase activity with PD98059, a specific inhibitor of MAPKK-1, or by transfection of a dominant-negative MAPKK-1 mutant antagonized the antiapoptotic effect of ET-1, suggesting the involvement of MAP kinase in the antiapoptotic effect. The potent inhibitory effect of ET-1 on apoptosis of VSMCs induced by serum deprivation and NO suggests that the counterbalance between the 2 endothelium-derived factors contributes to the process of vascular remodeling by determining VSMC survival and death, respectively, via a common MAP kinase pathway.