• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.544-549
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• 2013

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is involved in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases. Unlike activated protein C (APC), the activation of PAR-1 by thrombin is known to elicit proinflammatory responses. To determine whether the occupancy of EPCR by the Gla-domain of APC is responsible for the PAR-1-dependent antiinflammatory activity of the protease, we pretreated HUVECs with the PC zymogen and then activated PAR-1 with thrombin. It was found that thrombin downregulates the HMGB1-mediated induction of both TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 and inhibits the activation of both p38 MAPK and NF-${\kappa}B$ in HUVECs pretreated with PC. Furthermore, thrombin inhibited HMGB1-mediated hyperpermeability and leukocyte adhesion/migration by inhibiting the expression of cell adhesion molecules in HUVECs if EPCR was occupied. Collectively, these results suggest the concept that thrombin can initiate proinflammatory responses in vascular endothelial cells through the activation of PAR-1 may not hold true for normal vessels expressing EPCR under in vivo conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.538-544
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• 2008

Activated protein C (APC) is thought to exert antiinflammatory activities through the endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR)-dependent cleavage of protease activated receptor 1 (PAR-1) in endothelial cells. Since thrombin cleaves PAR-1 with $\sim$3-4-orders of magnitude higher efficiency, and PAR-1 is a target for proinflammatory activities of thrombin, it is not understood how APC can elicit protective responses through the cleavage of PAR-1. In this study, we demonstrate that EPCR is associated with caveolin-1 in endothelial lipid rafts, but its occupancy by protein C leads to its dissociation from caveolin-1 and subsequent recruitment of PAR-1 to protective signaling pathways through the coupling of PAR-1 to Gi-protein. When EPCR is bound by protein C, the PAR-1-dependent protective response in endothelial cells can be mediated by either thrombin or APC. These results provide a new paradigm for understanding the mechanism through which PAR-1 and EPCR participate in cellular signaling events in endothelial cells.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2010

Here, we evaluated the effect of thrombin on the interleukin-6 production induced by tumor-necrosis-factor-$\alpha$ in endothelial cells. It is well known that tumor-necrosis-factor-$\alpha$ mediates inflammatory responses by activation of nuclear factor-kappa-B in endothelial cells. Here, we showed that lower concentration of thrombin decreased the production of interleukin-6 induced by tumor-necrosis-factor-$\alpha$ and this inhibitory effect of thrombin on interleukin-6 production was mediated by interacting with protease-activated-receptor-1. In addition, phosphoinositide-3-kinase was also involved the anti-inflammatory responses by lower concentration of thrombin in endothelial cells. These results suggested that lower concentration of thrombin mediated anti-inflammatory responses by interacting with protease-activated-receptor-1 on the cell membrane and phosphoinositide-3-kinase in the cell. These findings will provide the important evidence in the development of new medicine for the treatment of severe sepsis and inflammatory diseases and good clue for understanding unknown mechanisms by which thrombin showed the pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory activities in endothelial cells.

• 대한약리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.112.1-112.1
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• 2006

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.247-254
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• 1997

The proteinase-activated receptor (PAR-2) belongs to the family of seven transmembrane region receptors, like the thrombin receptor, it is activated by specific proteolytic clea vage of its extracellular amino terminus and a synthetic peptide (SLIGRL). The earthworm protein fraction (EPF) extracted from Lumbricus rubellus elicted dose- and endothelium-dependent relaxations in phenylephrine-contracted rat thoracic aorta, whereas heat inactivated EPF (0.5 ${\mu}g$ /ml) had no effect. In the presence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-methyl-L-arginine (1.8 micro M), EPF (0.5 ${\mu}g$ /ml)-induced relaxations were partially inhibited. Furthermore, EPF (0.5 ${\mu}g$ /ml) dramatically caused relaxation of thrombin-desenstized rat thoracic aorta. These results indicate that EPF activates PAR-2 in vascular endothelial cell. Intravenous injection of EPF (20 mg/kg, bolus) into anesthetized rats produced a marked depressor response. EPF (0 ~ 80 ${\mu}g$ /ml, gradient) was very effective on increasing of perfusion volume in rabbit ear vessel preparations. These results imply the usefulness of EPF as a vascular smooth muscle relaxant and indicate that the activation of PAR-2 may be a mechanism of EPF on hemokinetic improvement.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.489-495
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• 2014

Protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 is expressed in endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. It plays a crucial role in regulating blood pressure via the modulation of peripheral vascular tone. Although some reports have suggested involvement of a neurogenic mechanism in PAR-2-induced hypotension, the accurate mechanism remains to be elucidated. To examine this possibility, we investigated the effect of PAR-2 activation on smooth muscle contraction evoked by electrical field stimulation (EFS) in the superior mesenteric artery. In the present study, PAR-2 agonists suppressed neurogenic contractions evoked by EFS in endothelium-denuded superior mesenteric arterial strips but did not affect contraction elicited by the external application of noradrenaline (NA). However, thrombin, a potent PAR-1 agonist, had no effect on EFS-evoked contraction. Additionally, ${\omega}$-conotoxin GVIA (CgTx), a selective N-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel ($I_{Ca-N}$) blocker, significantly inhibited EFS-evoked contraction, and this blockade almost completely occluded the suppression of EFS-evoked contraction by PAR-2 agonists. Finally, PAR-2 agonists suppressed the EFS-evoked overflow of NA in endothelium-denuded rat superior mesenteric arterial strips and this suppression was nearly completely occluded by ${\omega}$-CgTx. These results suggest that activation of PAR-2 may suppress peripheral sympathetic outflow by modulating activity of $I_{Ca-N}$ which are located in peripheral sympathetic nerve terminals, which results in PAR-2-induced hypotension.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.375-381
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• 2005

Phospholipase C-${\beta}$ (PLC-${\beta}$) hydrolyses phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and generates inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in response to activation of various G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Using glial cells from knock-out mice lacking either PLC-${\beta}1$ [PLC-${\beta}1$ (-/-)] or PLC-${\beta}3$ [PLC-${\beta}3$ (-/-)], we examined which isotype of PLC-${\beta}$ participated in the cellular signaling events triggered by thrombin. Generation of inositol phosphates (IPs) was enhanced by thrombin in PLC-${\beta}1$ (-/-) cells, but was negligible in PLC-${\beta}3$ (-/-) cells. Expression of PLC-${\beta}3$ in PLC-${\beta}3$ (-/-) cells resulted in an increase in pertussis toxin (PTx)-sensitive IPs in response to thrombin as well as to PAR1-specific peptide, while expression of PLC-${\beta}1$ in PLC-${\beta}1$ (-/-) cells did not have any effect on IP generation. The thrombin-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase was delayed and attenuated in PLC-${\beta}3$ (-/-) cells, but normal in PLC-${\beta}1$ (-/-) cells. Pertussis toxin evoked a delayed $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase in PLC-${\beta}3$ (-/-) cells as well as in PLC-${\beta}1$ (-/-) cells. These results suggest that activation of PLC-${\beta}3$ by pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins is responsible for the transient $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase in response to thrombin, whereas the delayed $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase may be due to activation of some other PLC, such as PLC-${\beta}4$, acting via PTx-insensitive G proteins.