平滑肌肌球蛋白磷酸化与肌动球蛋白功能调节

在有Ｃａ２＋和钙调蛋白存在时,肌球蛋白轻链激酶催化肌球蛋白磷酸化,促使肌动蛋白激活的肌球蛋白（肌动球蛋白）Ｍｇ２＋－ＡＴＰ酶活性显著增加．然而,肌球蛋白磷酸化水平与Ｍｇ２＋－ＡＴＰ酶之间的关系是非线性的,原肌球蛋白可以进一步增加Ｍｇ２＋－ＡＴＰ酶的活性,但仍不改变它们之间的非线性关系．肌球蛋白轻链激酶的合成肽抑制剂抑制了肌球蛋白磷酸化和Ｍｇ２＋－ＡＴＰ酶活性,并导致平滑肌去膜肌纤维的等长收缩张力与速度的降低．结果提示肌球蛋白轻链激酶参与脊椎动物平滑肌收缩的调节过程,肌球蛋白轻链磷酸化作用会引起平滑肌收缩     

钙调蛋白结合蛋白,类肌钙蛋白和脊椎动物平滑肌收缩的调节

平滑肌细胞包含有粗肌丝、细肌丝和中等纤维。一般认为Ｃａ＾２＋／ＣａＭ依赖性的肌球蛋白磷酸化作用是平滑肌收缩的重要调控环节。然而,新近在平滑肌中发现钙调蛋白结合蛋白和类肌钙蛋白,它们也参与平滑肌收缩的调节。     

一种新的平滑肌调控蛋白Calponin

Calponin为一种平滑肌特有的调控蛋白, 分子克隆的证据表明, 它具有两种亚型, α型和β型分别由292和252个氨基酸组成它能与肌动蛋白结合, 抑制肌球蛋白ATP酶活性和平滑肌收缩其与肌动蛋白结合域有38个氨基酸残基(第145～182位), 丝氨酸175在调宁蛋白与肌动蛋白的相互作用中起重要作用, 它还能与钙调蛋白结合, 呈钙依赖性, 其结构域在第52～144位残基调宁蛋白的机能受磷酸化与脱磷酸化的调节.     

小檗碱对平滑肌肌球蛋白功能及胃肠平滑肌收缩性的影响

目的:探讨小檗碱对平滑肌肌球蛋白功能及胃肠平滑肌收缩性的影响.方法:以平滑肌肌球蛋白Mg2+-ATPase活性、肌球蛋白磷酸化以及胃与肠道平滑肌的收缩振幅为指标,考察小檗碱对平滑肌肌球蛋白Mg2+-ATPase活性和肌球蛋白磷酸化程度的影响,及其对离体小肠与胃平滑肌条收缩性的影响.结果:(1)在肌球蛋白轻链的Ca2+依赖性磷酸化反应中.小檗碱能抑制磷酸化肌球蛋白Mg2+-ATPase活性;(2)在肌球蛋白轻链的Ca2+依赖性磷酸化反应中,小檗碱可显著抑制磷酸化肌球蛋白轻链磷酸化程度;(3)小檗碱对大鼠离体小肠及胃平滑肌条收缩性均具有抑制作用.且均呈剂量依赖性.结论:小檗碱可通过抑制平滑肌肌球蛋白的功能,抑制胃肠道平滑肌的收缩性.     

钙离子:进入细胞浆的途径与血管平滑肌收缩机制

血管平滑肌收缩所需的钙离子源于细胞外流入和细胞内释放。钙流入途径主要有膜电位依赖式和与受体耦联的钙通道。释放钙离子机制受除极IP_3、cIP_3和钙离子作用而激发。进入细胞浆的钙离子与钙受体蛋白结合而引起收缩。血管平滑肌没有肌钙蛋白C,由钙调蛋白或Leiotonin C代之。钙调蛋白通过使肌球蛋白磷酸化;而Leiotonin C则通过直接激活肌动蛋白,引起血管收缩。     

动物肌球蛋白碱性轻链研究进展

肌球蛋白碱性轻链是肌球蛋白的组成成分之一,作为结构和调节蛋白在肌纤维的发生分化、肌肉运动和代谢等过程中发挥重要生理功能。简要综述肌球蛋白碱性轻链亚型的分析、碱性轻链基因的数量和分布、碱性轻链发育性表达等,为肌肉发育生物学研究提供参考。     

平滑肌肌球蛋白B的超沉淀与肌球蛋白轻链磷酸化

本文报导了牛胃肌球蛋白B(天然肌动球蛋白)的超沉淀性质。当钙离子、钙调蛋白和ATP存在时,肌球蛋白B出现超沉淀,在pH6.8和7.5处,有两个峰值。Ca~(2+)(PCa值8-4)对超沉淀影响的浓度-反应曲线呈典型的S形,表明当Ca~(2+)浓度处于微摩尔水平时产生超沉淀。伴随超沉淀发生了肌球蛋白调节轻链磷酸化。这说明肌球蛋白轻链的Ca~(2+)-CaM依赖性磷酸化可能包含在脊椎动物平滑肌收缩活动的调节机制中。     

平滑肌非钙依赖性收缩的生化机理

平滑肌收缩的原发信号一般来自肌浆中游离Ｃａ２＋浓度的增高．在调钙蛋白（Ｃａｌｍｏｄｕｌｉｎ,ＣａＭ）参与下,肌球蛋白轻链激酶（ＭＬＣＫ）被激活,从而催化肌球蛋白的磷酸化,启动平滑肌的横桥循环（ｃｒｏｓｓｂｒｉｄｇｅｃｙｃｌｉｎｇ）．除平滑肌收缩的钙依赖性调控外,也存在非钙依赖性调控的生化机理．这一条信号转导途径,可经由Ｇ蛋白以激活非钙依赖性蛋白激酶Ｃ的同工酶ＰＫＣ－ε,其下游步骤有两种钙结合蛋白（ｃａｌｐｏｎｉｎＣａＰ与Ｃａｌｄｅｓｍｏｎ,ＣａＤ）发挥了直接或间接靶蛋白的重要作用．     

肌球蛋白轻链激酶CaM结合位点突变体的构建

目的:平滑肌肌球蛋白轻链激酶(myosin light chainkinase,MLCK)具有激酶活性和非激酶活性,在平滑肌收缩过程中起着关键酶调控的作用.为探寻MLCK的非激酶活性区域对MLCK活性的影响,本实验利用分子生物学技术构建了肌球蛋白轻链激酶CaM结合位点突变体,并纯化出重组的MLCK表达的蛋白质,为深入研究MLCK的非激酶活性在调节平滑肌收缩过程中的分子机制提供了实验基础.方法:利用野生型MLCK全长的cDNA序列设计CaM结合位点的突变引物,利用PCR技术进行定点突变,获得CaM结合位点的突变体(△CaM/MLCK).在大肠杆茵中表达重组CaM结合位点的突变体(△CaM/MLCK),通过亲和层析及凝胶过滤进行分离纯化重组蛋白,SDS-PAGE检测表达及纯化的重组蛋白.结果:构建重组MLCK钙调蛋白结合位点突变体(△CaM/MLCK),△CaM/MLCK在大肠杆菌中以可溶形式大量表达并得到纯化.结论:成功构建重组MLCK钙调蛋白结合位点突变体(△CaM/MLCK)并获得纯化的表达蛋白质.     

平滑肌收缩调节的信号转导

平滑肌细胞内信号转导主要有肌球蛋白轻链激酶（ＭＬＣＫ）和蛋白激酶Ｃ（ＰＫＣ）途径。前者通过肌浆内Ｃａ＾２＋浓度升高,激活钙调蛋白（ＣａＭ）依赖性ＭＬＣＫ,催化肌球蛋白轻链丝氨酸（Ｓｅｒ）－１９磷酸化,肌球蛋白ＡＴＰ酶活性增加,肌丝滑行,肌肉收缩。肌浆内Ｃａ＾２＋浓度的恢复使ＭＬＣＫ失活,肌球蛋白轻链磷酸酶（ＭＬＣＰ）使肌球蛋白脱磷酸化,肌肉舒张。近来有证据表明ＰＫＣ信号转导途径通过影响细肌丝相关蛋     

Secondary heart field contributes myocardium and smooth muscle to the arterial pole of the developing heart

The arterial pole of the heart is the region where the ventricular myocardium continues as the vascular smooth muscle tunics of the aorta and pulmonary trunk. It has been shown that the arterial pole myocardium derives from the secondary heart field and the smooth muscle tunic of the aorta and pulmonary trunk derives from neural crest. However, this neural crest-derived smooth muscle does not extend to the arterial pole myocardium leaving a region at the base of the aorta and pulmonary trunk that is invested by vascular smooth muscle of unknown origin. Using tissue marking and vascular smooth muscle markers, we show that the secondary heart field, in addition to providing myocardium to the cardiac outflow tract, also generates prospective smooth muscle that forms the proximal walls of the aorta and pulmonary trunk. As a result, there are two seams in the arterial pole: first, the myocardial junction with secondary heart field-derived smooth muscle; second, the secondary heart field-derived smooth muscle with the neural crest-derived smooth muscle. Both of these seams are points where aortic dissection frequently occurs in Marfan's and other syndromes.     

小鼠主动脉血管平滑肌原代细胞的分离培养及鉴定

目的:血管平滑肌细胞在人类心血管疾病中具有重要的作用,而作为重要的遗传学研究模式生物的小鼠血管平滑肌材料有限,因此建立一种简单高效的小鼠血管平滑肌原代细胞分离培养方法很重要。方法:分离小鼠主动脉中膜层,胶原酶消化法获得原代平滑肌细胞,免疫荧光方法检测细胞的纯度和分化状态;分离平滑肌细胞特异的报告小鼠的平滑肌细胞,LacZ染色鉴定。结果:用该方法分离的原代平滑肌细胞生长迅速,3d后即可达5×106个。免疫荧光显示,细胞传至第3代后纯度在98%以上,细胞传至8代分化状态没有改变。LacZ染色鉴定报告小鼠分离的3代平滑肌细胞98%以上显示特异的蓝染。两种实验证明,应用此方法分离原代平滑肌细胞可以满足平滑肌体外功能实验的需求。结论:与传统的组织块培养法相比,该方法操作简便、经济,可以获得更多高纯度的血管平滑肌细胞。     

Transgelin: an actin-binding protein and tumour suppressor

Transgelin is a shape change sensitive 22 kDa actin-binding protein of the calponin family. It contains a C-terminal calponin-like module (CLIK(23)) and an upstream positively charged amino acid region required for actin binding. Transgelin is ubiquitous to vascular and visceral smooth muscle and is an early marker of smooth muscle differentiation, where its expression is driven by CArG box, smooth muscle gene promoter. It is also present in fibroblasts, and some epithelium where expression is likely driven by TGF-beta1. Transgelin null mice reveal that, whilst it is not required for smooth muscle development, transgelin may be involved in calcium-independent smooth muscle contraction. Recent evidence suggests that transgelin acts as a tumour suppressor. Its expression is lost in prostate, breast and colon cancers. This is consistent with suppression of the metallo matrix protease-9 (MMP-9) by transgelin, where MMP-9 is upregulated in these common cancers.     

Mast cells promote airway smooth muscle cell differentiation via autocrine up-regulation of TGF-beta 1

Asthma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is characterized by airway dysfunction and inflammation. A key determinant of the asthma phenotype is infiltration of airway smooth muscle bundles by activated mast cells. We hypothesized that interactions between these cells promotes airway smooth muscle differentiation into a more contractile phenotype. In vitro coculture of human airway smooth muscle cells with beta-tryptase, or mast cells with or without IgE/anti-IgE activation, increased airway smooth muscle-derived TGF-beta1 secretion, alpha-smooth muscle actin expression and agonist-provoked contraction. This promotion to a more contractile phenotype was inhibited by both the serine protease inhibitor leupeptin and TGF-beta1 neutralization, suggesting that the observed airway smooth muscle differentiation was driven by the autocrine release of TGF-beta1 in response to activation by mast cell beta-tryptase. Importantly, in vivo we found that in bronchial mucosal biopsies from asthmatics the intensity of alpha-smooth muscle actin expression was strongly related to the number of mast cells within or adjacent to an airway smooth muscle bundle. These findings suggest that mast cell localization in the airway smooth muscle bundle promotes airway smooth muscle cell differentiation into a more contractile phenotype, thus contributing to the disordered airway physiology that characterizes asthma.     

The carboxyl terminus of the smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase is expressed as an independent protein, telokin.

It has been proposed that the carboxyl terminus of the smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase is expressed as an independent protein. This protein has been purified from tissues and named telokin (Ito, M., Dabrowska, R., Guerriero, V., Jr., and Hartshorne, D. J. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 13971-13974). In this study we have isolated and characterized cDNA and genomic clones encoding telokin. Analysis of a genomic DNA clone suggests that the mRNA encoding telokin arises from a promoter which appears to be located within an intron of the smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) gene. This intron interrupts exons encoding the calmodulin binding domain of the kinase. The amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA predicts that telokin is identical to the carboxyl-terminal 155 residues of the smooth muscle MLCK. Unlike the smooth muscle MLCK which is expressed in both smooth and non-muscle tissues, telokin is expressed in some smooth muscle tissues but has not been detected in aortic smooth muscle or in any non-muscle tissues.     

Molecular mechanism of cGMP-mediated smooth muscle relaxation

Contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle is a tightly regulated process involving numerous endogenous substances and their intracellular second messengers. We examine the key role of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in mediating smooth muscle relaxation. We briefly review the current art regarding cGMP generation and degradation, while focusing on the recent identification of the molecular mechanisms underlying cGMP-mediated smooth muscle relaxation. cGMP-induced SM relaxation is mediated mainly by cGMP-dependent protein kinase activation. It involves several molecular events culminating in a reduction in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration and a decrease in the sensitivity of the contractile system to Ca(2+). We propose that the cGMP-induced decrease in Ca(2+) sensitivity is a strategic way to achieve "active relaxation" of the smooth muscle. In summary, we present compelling evidence supporting a key role for cGMP as a mediator of smooth muscle relaxation in physiological and pharmacological settings.     

Mechanical plasticity and contractile properties of airway smooth muscle

Smooth muscle has the unique ability to adapt easily and quickly to length changes without compromising its ability to generate force. This ability is referred to as mechanical plasticity and is now considered to be an important aspect of smooth muscle that affects both its contractile and relaxation behaviour. It is therefore important to incorporate knowledge of plasticity into further studies of smooth muscle behaviour. It is also important that future studies be focused on deciphering the mechanism of smooth muscle length adaptation and plasticity. This review outlines some of the proposed mechanisms determining plasticity. However, it should be said that there are other proposed mechanisms not touched upon here, which may be equally as important. This review also focuses on the relevance of smooth muscle plasticity in asthma, but it is important to remember that there are other places where smooth muscle plasticity may play an equally important role.     

A dynamic model of smooth muscle contraction

A dynamic model of smooth muscle contraction is presented and is compared with the mechanical properties of vascular smooth muscle in the rat portal vein. The model is based on the sliding filament theory and the assumption that force is produced by cross-bridges extending from the myosin to the actin filaments. Thus, the fundamental aspects of the model are also potentially applicable to skeletal muscle. The main concept of the model is that the transfer of energy via the cross-bridges can be described as a 'friction clutch' mechanism. It is shown that a mathematical formulation of this concept gives rise to a model that agrees well with experimental observations on smooth muscle mechanics under isotonic as well as isometric conditions. It is noted that the model, without any ad hoc assumptions, displays a nonhyperbolic force-velocity relationship in its high-force portion and that it is able to maintain isometric force in conditions of reduced maximum contraction velocity. Both these findings are consistent with new experimental observations on smooth muscle mechanics cannot be accounted for by the classical Hill model.     

Substrate specificity of myosin light chain kinases.

Skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase can phosphorylate myosin light chains isolated from skeletal or smooth muscle. In contrast, smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase specifically phosphorylates light chains isolated from smooth muscle. In this study, we have identified residues within the rabbit smooth and skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinases which may interact with the basic residues that are important substrate determinants in the light chains. Mutation of aspartic acid 270 amino-terminal of the catalytic core of the skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase increased the Km value for both smooth and skeletal muscle light chains. Although deletions of the analogous region of the smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase (residues 663-678) markedly increased the Km value for light chain, mutation of any single acidic residue within this region did not have a similar effect. Mutation of single residues within the catalytic core of the skeletal muscle (E377 and E421) and smooth muscle (E777 and E821) myosin light chain kinases increased Km values for the smooth muscle light chain at least 35- and 100-fold, respectively. It is proposed that these residues may form ionic interactions with the arginine that is 3 residues amino-terminal of the phosphorylatable serine in the smooth muscle light chain.