Ghrelin stimulates angiogenesis via GHSR1a-dependent MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signal pathways in rat cardiac microvascular endothelial cells

• Published in: Peptides (New York, N.Y. : 1980) N.Y. : 1980), 2012-01, Vol.33 (1), p.92-100
• Main Authors: Wang, Li, Chen, Qingwei, Li, Guiqiong, Ke, Dazhi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adults; Angiogenesis; Angiogenesis Inducing Agents - pharmacology; Animals; Blocking; Cardiac microvascular endothelial cells; Cell Movement - drug effects; cell proliferation; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; Chromones - pharmacology; Endothelial cells; Endothelial Cells - drug effects; Endothelial Cells - metabolism; Endothelium, Vascular - cytology; Endothelium, Vascular - drug effects; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases - metabolism; Flavonoids - pharmacology; gene expression; Ghrelin; Ghrelin - genetics; Ghrelin - pharmacology; ghrelin receptors; GHSR; Heart Ventricles - cytology; In vitro testing; Inhibitors; Male; MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases - antagonists & inhibitors; MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases - metabolism; Migration; mitogen-activated protein kinase; Morpholines - pharmacology; myocardium; Pathways; Peptides; phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases - metabolism; Phosphorylation; Phosphorylation - drug effects; protective effect; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Ghrelin - genetics; Receptors, Ghrelin - metabolism; signal transduction; Signal Transduction - drug effects
• ISSN: 0196-9781; 1873-5169
• DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2011.11.001

► Ghrelin stimulates angiogenesis in rat cardiac microvascular endothelial cells. ► MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signal pathways are involved in ghrelin-induced angiogenesis. ► GHSR1a mediates ghrelin activation of ERK, Akt, and in vitro angiogenesis. ► Ghrelin may play an important role in myocardial angiogenesis. Ghrelin, an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR), is thought to exert a protective effect on the cardiovascular system, specifically by promoting vascular endothelial cell function such as cell proliferation, migration, survival and angiogenesis. However, the effect of ghrelin on angiogenesis and the corresponding mechanisms have not yet been extensively studied in cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) isolated from left ventricular myocardium of adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. In our study, we found that ghrelin and GHSR are constitutively expressed in CMECs. Ghrelin significantly increases CMECs proliferation, migration, and in vitro angiogenesis. The ghrelin-induced angiogenic process was accompanied by phosphorylation of ERK and Akt. MEK inhibitor PD98059 abolished ghrelin-induced phosphorylation of ERK, but had no effect on Akt phosphorylation. PI3K inhibitor LY294002 abolished ghrelin-induced phosphorylation of Akt, but had no effect on ERK phosphorylation. Ghrelin-induced angiogenesis was partially blocked by treatment with PD98059 or LY294002. In addition, this angiogenic effect was almost completely inhibited by PD98059+LY294002. Pretreatment with GHSR1a blocker [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6 abolished ghrelin-induced phosphorylation of ERK, Akt and in vitro angiogenesis. In conclusion, this is the first demonstration that ghrelin stimulates CMECs angiogenesis through GHSR1a-mediated MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signal pathways, indicating that two pathways are required for full angiogenic activity of ghrelin. This study suggests that ghrelin may play an important role in myocardial angiogenesis.