Angiotensin II (Ang II) induces vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth by activating Gq-protein-coupled AT1 receptors, which leads to elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and activation of protein kinase C (PKC) and mitogen-activated protein kinases. To assess the link between these Ang II-induced signaling events, we examined the effect of Ang II on the proline-rich tyrosine kinase (PYK2), previously found to be activated by a variety of stimuli that increase [Ca2+]i or activate PKC. PYK2 distribution was demonstrated in rat aortic tissue and in cultured VSMC by immunohistochemistry, revealing a cytosolic distribution distinct from smooth muscle alpha-actin, focal adhesion kinase, or paxillin. The involvement of PYK2 in Ang II signaling was measured by immunoprecipitation and immune complex kinase assays. Treatment of quiescent VSMC with Ang II resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent increase in PYK2 tyrosine phosphorylation and kinase activity in PYK2 immunoprecipitates. PYK2 phosphorylation was inhibited by AT1 receptor blockade and was attenuated by downregulation of PKC or the chelation of [Ca2+]i. Treatment with either phorbol ester or Ca2+ ionophore also increased PYK2 phosphorylation, suggesting that PKC activation and/or increased [Ca2+]i are both necessary and sufficient to activate PYK2. Activation of PYK2 by Ang II was also associated with increased PYK2-src complex formation, suggesting that PYK2 activation represents a potential link between Ang II-stimulated [Ca2+]i and PKC activation with downstream signaling events such as mitogen-activated protein kinase activation involved in the regulation of VSMC growth.

Abnormal vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth plays a key role in the pathogenesis of hypertension and atherosclerosis. Angiotensin II (ANG II) elicits a hypertrophic growth response characterized by an increase in protein synthesis without cell proliferation. The present study investigated the role of the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase PYK2 in the regulation of ANG II-induced signaling pathways that mediate VSMC growth. Using coimmunoprecipitation analysis, the role of PYK2 as an upstream regulator of both extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) 1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) pathways was examined in cultured rat aortic VSMC. ANG II (100 nM) promoted the formation of a complex between PYK2 and the ERK1/2 regulators Shc and Grb2. ANG II caused a rapid and Ca(2+)-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of the adapter molecule p130Cas, which coimmunoprecipitated both PYK2 and PI 3-kinase in ANG II-treated VSMC. Complex formation between PI 3-kinase and p130Cas and PYK2 was associated with a rapid phosphorylation of the ribosomal p70(S6) kinase in a Ca(2+)- and tyrosine kinase-dependent manner. These data suggest that PYK2 is an important regulator of multiple signaling pathways involved in ANG II-induced VSMC growth.

Endothelin-1 (ET) produces neonatal rat ventricular myocyte (NRVM) hypertrophy and activates focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in other cell types. In the present study, we examined whether ET activated FAK in NRVM and whether FAK was necessary and/or sufficient for ET-induced NRVM hypertrophy. Chronic ET-1 stimulation (100 nM, 48 h) increased protein-to-DNA and myosin heavy chain (MHC)-to-DNA ratios and stimulated the assembly of newly synthesized MHC into sarcomeres. ET-1 also induced the assembly of focal adhesions and costameres, as evidenced by increased phosphotyrosine, FAK, and paxillin immunostaining. Acutely, ET treatment rapidly increased tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK and paxillin. FAK was also activated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (2 microM, 5 min). Pretreatment with chelerythrine (5 microM) or rottlerin (10 microM) completely blocked ET-induced FAK phosphorylation, indicating that protein kinase C activation was upstream of ET-induced FAK activation. In contrast, ET-induced FAK activation was not affected by blocking calcium influx via L-type voltage-gated calcium channels. Adenoviruses (Adv) containing FAK and FAK-related nonkinase (FRNK) were used to specifically define the role of FAK in ET-induced hypertrophy. ET stimulation failed to increase total protein-to-DNA or MHC-to-DNA ratios or to stimulate sarcomeric assembly in myocytes infected with Adv-FRNK. However, Adv-FAK alone did not increase total protein-to-DNA or MHC-to-DNA ratios and failed to increase the number or size of myofibrils as evidenced by double immunofluorescence labeling for MHC and FAK. Thus, although FAK is necessary for ET-induced NRVM hypertrophy, other ET-generated signals are also required to elicit the hypertrophic phenotype.

The rate of vascular smooth muscle cell protein synthesis and cellular hypertrophy in response to angiotensin II (Ang II) is dependent on activation of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and both the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and p70(S6K) pathways. One potential PTK that may regulate these signaling cascades is focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a nonreceptor PTK associated with focal adhesions. We used an actin depolymerizing agent, cytochalasin D (Cyt-D), and a replication-defective adenovirus encoding FAK-related nonkinase (FRNK), an inhibitor of FAK-dependent signaling, as tools to assess whether FAK was upstream of the ERK1/2 and/or the p70(S6K) pathways. Cyt-D reduced basal FAK phosphorylation and blocked Ang II-dependent FAK phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. Confocal microscopy indicated that Cyt-D induced actin filament disruption and FAK delocalization from focal adhesions. Cyt-D also reduced Ang II-induced ERK1/2 activation, but p70(S6K) activation was relatively unaffected. Cyt-D reduced basal protein synthetic rate and substantially reduced the Ang II-induced increase in protein synthesis. Similarly, FRNK overexpression blocked Ang II-induced FAK phosphorylation and ERK1/2 activation, but not p70(S6K) phosphorylation, and markedly inhibited protein synthesis. This is the first report to demonstrate that FAK is a critical component of the signal transduction pathways that mediate Ang II-induced ERK1/2 activation, c-fos induction, and enhanced protein synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells.