Zusammenfassung
The second messengers cAMP and cGMP can be degraded by specific members
of the phosphodiesterase superfamily or by active efflux transporters,
namely the multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRPs) MRP4 and
MRP5. To determine the role of MRP4 and MRP5 in cell signaling, we
studied arterial SMCs, in which the effects of cyclic nucleotide
levels on SMC proliferation have been well established. We found
that MRP4, but not MRP5, was upregulated during proliferation of
isolated human coronary artery SMCs and following injury of rat carotid
arteries in vivo. MRP4 inhibition significantly increased intracellular
cAMP and cGMP levels and was sufficient to block proliferation and
to prevent neointimal growth in injured rat carotid arteries. The
antiproliferative effect of MRP4 inhibition was related to PKA/CREB
pathway activation. Here we provide what we believe to be the first
evidence that MRP4 acts as an independent endogenous regulator of
intracellular cyclic nucleotide levels and as a mediator of cAMP-dependent
signal transduction to the nucleus. We also identify MRP4 inhibition
as a potentially new way of preventing abnormal VSMC proliferation.
Nutzer