Affiliation:
1. Department of Cardiology, Zhenjiang First People’s Hospital,China
2. Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
3. Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University,Nanjing,China
Abstract
Since Madaule and Axel first discovered Rho gene in 1985, Rho and its
signal transduction pathway have been extensively studied. Rho protein family belongs
to the small GTP binding protein of Ras super-family, whose molecular weight is
between 20kd-30kd. As a molecular switch, Rho protein family controls many signal
transduction pathways in eukaryotic cells. There are two states of Rho protein, one is
the inactivation state bound to GDP (GDP Rho), the other is the activation state bound
to GTP (GTP Rho). In the resting state, the GDP Rho dissociation inhibitor (rho GDI)
is bound to the GDP Rho and located in the cytoplasm. GTP was substituted for GDP
to activate Rho protein by guanosine exchange factor (GEFs). GTP Rho interacts with
the downstream effector Rho kinase (ROCK). There are two types of ROCK: ROCK1
and ROCK2. The activation of ROCK can inhibit the activity of myosin
phosphorylated light chain phosphatase (MYPT1), thus increasing the level of myosin
phosphorylated light chain (MLC) in cells, leading to increased sensitivity of vascular
smooth muscle cells to Ca2+ and vasoconstriction. Previous studies have shown that
Rho/ROCK signaling pathway not only plays an important role in vasoconstriction, but
also regulates cell movement, proliferation, adhesion, activation of cytokines and
migration of inflammatory cells. At the molecular level, the expression of ROCK up regulates various factors that promote oxidative stress, inflammation, thrombosis and
fibrosis, and down-regulates endothelial nitric oxide synthetase. At the cellular level, it
is involved in many cell functions such as gene expression, cytokinesis, cell adhesion
and migration. It has been found that Rho/Rho kinase is related to cardiovascular
diseases, such as coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, hypertension, heart failure and
so on. Fasudil, a potent and selective inhibitor of ROCK, can treat many cardiovascular
diseases and has been used in clinical practice. This article reviews the relationship
between Rho/Rho kinase and many system diseases.
Publisher
BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBLISHERS