R. Gros et al., G-protein-coupled receptor kinase activity in hypertension - Increased vascular and lymphocyte G-protein receptor kinase-2 protein expression, HYPERTENSIO, 35(1), 2000, pp. 38-42
Citations number
18
Categorie Soggetti
Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems","Cardiovascular & Hematology Research
Impaired receptor-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activation has been observed
in lymphocytes from hypertensive subjects and has been linked to an increas
e in lymphocyte G-protein receptor kinase-2 (GRK-2) protein expression. How
ever, whether the increase in lymphocyte GRK-2 reflected an increase in vas
cular GRK-2 was unknown. Therefore, we compared GRK-2 protein expression in
lymphocytes and aortas obtained from normotensive Wistar rats, Wistar-Kyot
o rats (WKY), and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and from aortas of
Dahl rats. Impaired beta-adrenergic responsiveness was observed in lymphocy
tes and vascular tissues obtained from hypertensive SHR (10 and 15 weeks ol
d) but not in those obtained from prehypertensive SHR (5 weeks old). Immuno
detectable lymphocyte GRK-2 protein expression was increased in 10-week-old
SHR (143+/-10% of the expression in 10-week-old Wistar rats and 131+/-11%
of the expression in 10-week-old WKY, n=5 in each group). Immunodetectable
vascular smooth muscle cell GRK-2 was comparably increased (169+/-14% of th
e expression in Wistar rats and 138+/-7% of the expression in WKY, n=5 in e
ach group). Also, in hypertensive Dahl salt-sensitive rats, vascular GRK-2
protein expression was increased (185+/-14% of the expression in Dahl salt-
resistant rats, n=5 in each group) compared with Dahl salt-resistant contro
ls. These studies support a generalized defect in vascular GRK-2 protein ex
pression in hypertension, which could be an important factor in the impairm
ent of beta-adrenergic-mediated vasodilation, characteristic of the hyperte
nsive state.