Cellular Microenvironment ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; metabolism ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism ; rhoA GTP-Binding Protein ; metabolism

Rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinase (ROCK) is a serine/threonine kinase that belongs to AGC family of kinases. By inducing the formation of stress fibers and reorganizing the cytoskeleton, it is involved in many biological behaviors of cells including cell contraction, cell migration, cell division, and morphological changes, and thus exerts important roles in regulating the multiple functions of cells.
Cell Division ; Cell Movement ; Cytoskeleton ; metabolism ; Humans ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism ; physiology

Erectile dysfunction (ED) has been plaguing men for a long time and the incidence of this disease is as high as 52% among males aged between 40 and 70. Recent discovery has shown a connection between the RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling system and ED. This paper reviews the progress in the study of RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling pathway, expounds its mechanism in penile erection and provides a base for further research on the role of RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling pathway in penile erection.
Animals ; Humans ; Male ; Penile Erection ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Signal Transduction ; physiology ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism ; rhoA GTP-Binding Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between activation of Rho kinase (ROCK) signal pathway and permeability of hypoxic vascular endothelial cells.

METHODS(1) Human vascular endothelial cell line VE cells were planted onto 6-well plates Transwell and divided into control group (without hypoxia treatment) and hypoxia for 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 h groups (exposed to 1%O2, 5%CO2, and 94%N2 for corresponding time) according to the random number table, with 5 wells in each group. The expression levels of ROCKI, ROCKII, myosin light chain phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1) and phosphorylated MYPT1 (p-MYPT1), myosin light chain (MLC), p-MLC in cells were detected by Western blotting. The ratios of p-MYPT1/MYPT1 and p-MLC/MLC were calculated. (2) VE cells were planted onto 24-well plates Transwell, and the monolayer cells were divided into control group (without hypoxia treatment) and hypoxia for 6 h group (exposed to 1% O(2), 5% CO(2), and 94% N(2) for 6 h) according to the random number table, with 5 wells in each group. Permeability of monolayer cells was determined by fluorescence spectrophotometer. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance or t test, and Newman-Keuls method was used in paired comparison among groups.

RESULTS(1) ROCKI protein expression in control and hypoxia for 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 h groups was obviously 0.63 ± 0.14 and 0.36 ± 0.08, 1.25 ± 0.21, 1.98 ± 0.16, 1.49 ± 0.38, 0.79 ± 0.24 (F = 36.52, P < 0.01). ROCKI protein expression in hypoxia for 2, 3, 6 h groups were obviously higher than that in control group (with P values all below 0.01). (2) There was significant statistical difference among all groups in ROCKII protein expression (F = 17.84, P < 0.01). ROCKII protein expression in hypoxia for 2 h group (1.33 ± 0.17) was significantly higher than that in control group (1.05 ± 0.04, P < 0.01). (3) p-MYPT1/MYPT1 ratio in control and hypoxia for 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 h groups was respectively 0.62 ± 0.13 and 0.62 ± 0.11, 0.65 ± 0.10, 1.06 ± 0.23, 1.37 ± 0.16, 1.91 ± 0.32 (F = 37.41, P < 0.01). p-MYPT1/MYPT1 ratio in hypoxia for 3, 6, 12 h groups were obviously higher than that in control group (with P values all below 0.01). (4) p-MLC/MLC ratio in control and hypoxia for 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 h groups was respectively 0.72 ± 0.19 and 0.83 ± 0.17, 0.91 ± 0.15, 1.39 ± 0.16, 2.02 ± 0.15, 0.90 ± 0.25 (F = 36.92, P < 0.01). p-MLC/MLC ratio in hypoxia for 3, 6 h groups were obviously higher than that in control group (with P values all below 0.01). (5) Permeability of VE monolayer in hypoxia for 6 h group (36.1 ± 8.0) was obviously higher than that in control group (9.1 ± 2.1, t = 7.30, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSActivation of ROCK signal pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of vascular endothelial cell hyperpermeability induced by hypoxia.

Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Line ; Cell Membrane Permeability ; Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Phosphorylation ; Signal Transduction ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression change of ROCK1 gene in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and its prognostic significance. METHODS: Sixty patients with ALL were selected in our hospital from April 2017 to April 2018, and 60 healthy persons subjected to physical examination were selected as control. The venous blood was taken from the subjects, and then the mononuclear cells were separated. The ROCK1 gene expression level in the samples was detected by RT-PCR, and the expression level of ROCK1 protein was detected by Western blot. The correlation between ROCK1 gene expression and clinical characteristics of ALL patients was analyzed by using statistical methots. RESULTS: The RT-PCR showed that the relative expression level of ROCK1 gene in ALL patients was 1.37 (1.28-1.46), which was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). Western blot showed that the protein expression level of ROCK1 in ALL patients was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The expression level of ROCK1 gene correlated with age, WBC count, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, peripheral blood immature cell count, and risk stratification of ALL patients (P<0.05). The expression level of ROCK1 gene did not correlate with sex, hemoglobin (Hb) level, platelet count and immunophenotype in ALL patients (P>0.05). The standard risk ratio of B-ALL and T-ALL patients with low ROCK1 expression was significantly higher than that in patients with high ROCK1 expression (P<0.05). The high risk ratio of B-ALL and T-ALL patients with low ROCK1 expression was significantly lower than those with high ROCK1 expression (P<0.05). The ratio of CR in the group with low ROCK1 expression patients was significantly higher than that in patients with high ROCK1 expression (P<0.05). The Relapse rate of the group with low ROCK1 expression was significantly lower than that of the group with high ROCK1 expression (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that OS and DFS in ALL patients with low ROCK1 expression were superior to those in ALL patients with high ROCK1 expression (P<0.05). Multiple factor Cox regression analysis showed that age and ROCK1 gene were independent influencing factors for OS (P<0.05); leukocyte count and ROCK1 gene were independent influencing factors for DFS (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The expression level of ROCK1 gene in ALL patients is high, which may stimulate the genesis of ALL, and the down-regulation of ROCK1 gene expression may help improve the therapeutic effect for ALL patients.
Acute Disease ; Blood Cell Count ; Humans ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

After a series of studies, we found that the intestinal permeability was increased, tight junction protein (zonula occluden-1) obviously decreased and redistributed, accompanied by an increase in expression of myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation in severely burned rats. After using inhibitor of MLC kinase (ML-9 2 mg/kg) or of Rho-associated kinase (Y-27632 2 mg/kg), above-mentioned changes could be alleviated. Therefore, to regulate the MLC phosphorylation of tight junction protein and perijunctional actin-myosin ring may be one of the key links to lessen the intestinal epithelium permeability after burn injury.
Animals ; Burns ; metabolism ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; Intestines ; metabolism ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Myosin Light Chains ; metabolism ; Permeability ; Phosphoproteins ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Zonula Occludens-1 Protein ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

Massive burn trauma is characterized by hypovolemic shock induced by the loss of plasma from vessels. The major reasons for this systemic microvascular leakage in burns include an increase in vascular permeability triggered by inflammatory mediators and the increase of vascular hydrostatic pressure caused by vessel dilation. The maintenance of normal vascular permeability depends on the integrity of endothelial barrier function regulated by the interaction of intracellular junctions, cell-matrix adhesion and the cytoskeleton contractile force. This review summarizes some recent discovery in endothelial mechanisms during burn-induced vascular hyperpermeability.
Actins ; metabolism ; Burns ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Capillary Permeability ; Cytoskeleton ; metabolism ; Endothelium, Vascular ; metabolism ; Humans ; Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase ; metabolism ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

Severe burn injury is often accompanied by intestinal epithelial tight junction barrier dysfunction, which is believed to be closely associated with postburn shock, inflammation, hypermetabolism, infection, organ dysfunction etc. Recent studies have documented the critical role of tight junction-associated protein regulation in intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction induced by severe burn injury. Myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation regulated by both myosin light chain kinase, which can phosphorylate MLC directly, and Rho-associated kinase, which can inhibit MLC phosphatase and then induce MLC phosphorylation indirectly, play a critical role in intestinal epithelial tight junction barrier dysfunction which occurs in severe burn injury. Recent advances have provided new insights into the mechanisms and the therapeutic strategies of intestinal epithelial tight junction barrier dysfunction following severe burn injury.
Burns ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase ; metabolism ; Permeability ; Phosphorylation ; Tight Junctions ; metabolism ; physiology ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEPhosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC) is one of the most important steps for vascular smooth muscle contraction and Rho-kinase is involved in this process. We investigated the role of Rho-kinase in a porcine coronary artery spasm model with interleukin-1beta.

METHODSSegments of left coronary artery adventitia were surrounded by normal saline (n = 8) or IL-1beta agarose microne (n = 8) for 2 weeks. Vasospastic responses to intracoronary serotonin or histamine then studied at the saline or IL-1beta-treated site. The Rho-kinase mRNA expression in the treated site was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis (RT-PCR). The extent of phosphorylation of myosin-binding subunit of myosin phosphates (MBS, one of the major substrates of Rho-kinase) were quantified by Western blot analysis.

RESULTSIntracoronary serotonin or histamine repeatedly induced coronary artery spasm and coronary arterial stenosis was evidenced at IL-1beta-treated site. Expression of Rho-kinase mRNA in IL-1beta-treated site was significantly increased compared to saline treated site (98.20% +/- 7.66% vs. 63.70% +/- 4.26%, P < 0.05). Western blot analysis showed that during the serotonin-induced contractions the extent of phosphorylation of MBS was also significantly increased in the spastic site (25,485 +/- 4745 vs. 6510 +/- 779, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONRho-kinase upregulation at the spastic site and increased phosphorylation of myosin-binding subunit of myosin phosphates are key players in inducing vascular smooth muscle hypercontraction in this porcine model.

Animals ; Coronary Vasospasm ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Interleukin-1beta ; adverse effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Myosin Light Chains ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Swine ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expressions of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors 1-3 (S1P1- 3) in the corpus cavernosum of castrated male rats and its relationship with the NOS/NO/cGMP and RhoA/Rho kinase signaling pathways.

METHODSWe equally randomized 18 eight-week-old healthy male SD rats into a sham-operation control, a castration, and a testosterone replacement (TR) group and harvested the bilateral testes and epididymides from the rats in the latter two groups, followed by 4 weeks of subcutaneous injection of testosterone propionate at 3 mg per kilogram of the body weight per day for those in the TR group and that of plant oil for those in the control and castration groups. At the age of 12 weeks, we measured the serum testosterone (T) level and maximum intracavernous pressure/mean arterial pressure (ICPmax/MAP) of the animals and determined the expressions of SlP1-3, eNOS, P-eNOS, ROCK1, and ROCK2 in the corpus cavernosum by Western blot and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe serum T level was significantly decreased in the rats of the castration group as compared with those of the control and TR groups ([0.41 ± 0.04] vs [16.01 ± 1.02] and [15.84 ± 1.32] nmol/L, P < 0.01), with no statistically significant difference between the latter two groups. The ICPmax/MAP at 0 V, 3 V, and 5 V electric stimulation was remarkably lower in the rats of the castration group (0.088 ± 0.014, 0.323 ± 0.014, and 0.432 ± 0.012) than in those of the control group (0.155 ± 0.011, 0.711 ± 0. 010, and 0.819 ± 0.024) and TR group (0.153 ± 0.012, 0.696 ± 0.017, and 0.763 ± 0.027) (P < 0.01), with no significant difference between the latter two groups. With GAPDH as internal control, the animals of the castration group showed markedly reduced expressions of S1P1 ([49.99 ± 3.39]%), eNOS ([46.82 ± 3.81]%) , and P-eNOS ([45.42 ± 4.35]%) in comparison with those in the control group ([72.57 ± 3.06], [89.76 ± 3.98], and [82.53 ± 8.92] and TR group ([71.77 ± 4.43], [87.19 ± 4.23], and [79.82 ± 7.38]%) (P < 0.01) , while the expressions of S1P2, S1P3, ROCK1, and ROCK2 were significantly upregulated in the castration group ([82.35 ± 4.13], [61.03 ± 5.14], [74.50 ± 4.02], and [69.83 ± 5.75]%) as compared with those in the control group ([41.67 ± 1.68], [31.66 ± 2.67], [35.69 ± 5.56], and [39.85 ± 7.17]%) and TR group ([42.80 ± 3.87], [32.25 ± 4.22], 38.06 ± 5.21], and [42.36 ± 4.44]%) (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAndrogen deficiency induces significant reduction of ICPmax/ MAP in male rats, which is possibly associated with the decline of S1P1 in the corpus cavernosum, inhibition of the eNOS/NO/cGMP signaling pathway, increased expressions of S1P2 and S1P3, and activation of the RhoA/Rho kinase signaling pathway.

Animals ; Male ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Orchiectomy ; Penis ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Lysosphingolipid ; metabolism ; Testosterone ; blood ; pharmacology ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism