G Proteins and Their Associated Receptors
Guest Editors: Yung H. Wong, Hong Kong; Catherine Berlot, New Haven, Conn.; Catherine D. Demoliou-Mason, London; Lucia Vallar, Milan

Paper

G-Protein-Coupled Receptors in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
Catherine D. Demoliou-Mason

Department of Clinical Pharmacology, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine, London, UK

Address of Corresponding Author

Biol Signals Recept 1998;7:90-97 (DOI: 10.1159/000014534)

  Key Words

• G proteins
• Vascular smooth muscle
• Vasoactive peptide receptors
• Proliferation

  Abstract

Vasoactive peptides like thrombin, angiotensin II and endothelin induce vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) contraction via activation of G-protein-coupled receptors. Recent studies have shown that they also induce VSMC migration and proliferation, processes which are important in the remodelling of the vasculature during embryogenesis and in the response to vascular injury. G-protein-coupled receptor-mediated mitogenic signals appear to be transmitted via a number of intracellular mechanisms which include proto-oncogene gene expression, G-protein-mediated protein translocation and tyrosine phosphorylation of growth factor receptor proteins, and activation of autocrine growth factor pathways. The ability of vasoactive peptides to have an impact on signalling cascades mediated by growth factor tyrosine kinase receptors may be important in the pathogenesis of diseases in the vasculature.

  Author Contacts

Catherine D. Demoliou-Mason, Department of Clinical Pharmacology
St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, Imperial College of
Science Technology and Medicine, London NW2 1NY (UK)
Tel. +44 171 725 6265/6562, Fax +44 171 727 6145
E-Mail c.demoliou-mason@ic.ac.uk

  Article Information

Number of Print Pages : 8
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 49