Signaling Mechanisms on the Vascular Relaxation of HMC05

HMC05의 혈관이완 활성과 신호전달 작용기전

This study investigated the signaling mechanisms contributed to the vasodilatory effects of HMC05, a herbal prescription. HMC05 acted in an endothelium-independent manner. To elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of its vascular actions, we focused on the signaling molecules involved in actin-myosin filament regulation including 20 kDa myosin light chains (LC20), Rho-associated kinase (ROCK), PKC, JNK and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) in the endothelium-denuded thoracic aorta or isolated smooth muscle cells (SMCs). It lowered the phosphorylation level of LC20 and showed that ROCK, ERK, JNK and $PKC{\alpha}$ pathways played important roles in the effects, as confirmed by the observations with a specific inhibition or activation, and with the activity and the subcellular localization of these molecules. In particular, HMC05 dramatically inhibited the activity of ERK and the downstream signaling of ROCK. It also changed the subcellular localization of the phophorylated $PKC{\alpha}$ as well as the amount of phosphorylation. Taken together, these data indicate that the vascular relaxation effects of HMC05 are attributed to the regulation of these signaling mechanisms.