Increaseed expression of mRNA for regulator of G protein signaling domain-containing Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors in aorta from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

BACKGROUND: Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (RhoGEF) link activation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) to RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling. This cellular signaling pathway regulates vascular tone and is implicated in hypertension. The RhoGEF, providing this coupling, contain the regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) domain. We hypothesized higher mRNA expression levels for these RhoGEF in aorta from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP).
METHODS: We measured mRNA expression by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in the aorta of Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) and SHRSP. The protein expression level of p115RhoGEF was examined by Western Blot, too.
RESULTS: Our results showed that mRNA for RGS domain containing RhoGEF is higher in SHRSP.
CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that RhoGEF may contribute to increased activation of RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway in hypertension.