A novel 31-amino-acid-length endothelin, ET-1(1-31), can act as a biologically active peptide for vascular smooth muscle cells.

Human chymase produces a novel endothelin-1 with 31 amino-acid length ¿ET-1(1-31)¿, which is longer than conventional ET-1, ¿ET-1(1-21)¿. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of ET-1(1-31) on porcine coronary vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC). Although the increase in [Ca(2+)](i) by ET-1(1-31) was 10 times weaker than that of ET-1(1-21), ET-1(1-31) showed equivalent potency in VSMC proliferation, c-fos/c-myc mRNA expression and cell cycle analysis with ET-1(1-21). ET-1(1-31) significantly induced expression of cyclin D1 but not those of cyclin D2 or D3. These effects were specifically inhibited by BQ485, an ET(A) receptor antagonist, although that of ET-1(1-21) was not specific to BQ485, suggesting different receptor specificity from ET-1(1-21). These results indicate that ET-1(1-31) also can involve a VSMC proliferation process such as atherosclerosis, although it has weaker vasoconstricting potency and different receptor subtypes on VSMC from those of ET-1(1-21). Copyright 2000 Academic Press.