Endothelial cells from rat brain microvessels, human aortic artery and human umbilical vein were examined, together with ex vivo rat brain capillaries and rat aortic ring sections, for the expression of opioid receptor-like OP-4 mRNA and protein. High levels of mRNA expression and an immunopositive reaction for the receptor protein were detected in the endothelial cells from primary and from established in vitro cultures, as well as in the intima of ex vivo rat aortic rings, where the signal was limited to the endothelial layer. Interaction of the ON receptor with its physiological ligand nociceptin caused, in cultured endothelial cells, the activation of a mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade. Taken together, these results show that the ON receptor is synthesised and functionally expressed in endothelial cells, presumably as a starting point for some vasoactive mechanism(s). (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Expression of OP4 (ORL1, NOP1) receptors in vascular endothelium / F., Granata; R. L., Potenza; A., Fiori; Strom, Roberto; Caronti, Brunella; P., Molinari; S., Donsante; G., Citro; Iacovelli, Luisa; DE BLASI, Antonio; R. T., Ngomba; G., Palladini; Passarelli, Francesca. - In: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. - ISSN 0014-2999. - STAMPA. - 482:1-3(2003), pp. 17-23. [10.1016/j.ejphar.2003.09.049]
Expression of OP4 (ORL1, NOP1) receptors in vascular endothelium
STROM, Roberto;CARONTI, Brunella;IACOVELLI, LUISA;DE BLASI, ANTONIO;PASSARELLI, Francesca
2003
Abstract
Endothelial cells from rat brain microvessels, human aortic artery and human umbilical vein were examined, together with ex vivo rat brain capillaries and rat aortic ring sections, for the expression of opioid receptor-like OP-4 mRNA and protein. High levels of mRNA expression and an immunopositive reaction for the receptor protein were detected in the endothelial cells from primary and from established in vitro cultures, as well as in the intima of ex vivo rat aortic rings, where the signal was limited to the endothelial layer. Interaction of the ON receptor with its physiological ligand nociceptin caused, in cultured endothelial cells, the activation of a mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade. Taken together, these results show that the ON receptor is synthesised and functionally expressed in endothelial cells, presumably as a starting point for some vasoactive mechanism(s). (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
