Exp Mol Med.  2010 Nov;42(11):768-776. 10.3858/emm.2010.42.11.078.

Genistein activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase in broiler pulmonary arterial endothelial cells by an Akt-dependent mechanism

• Yang Y
• Nie W
• Yuan J
• Zhang B
• Wang Z
• Wu Z
• Guo Y

• KMID: 994400
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3858/emm.2010.42.11.078

Abstract

Deregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays an important role in the development of multiple cardiovascular diseases. Our recent study demonstrated that genistein supplementation attenuates pulmonary arterial hypertension in broilers by restoration of endothelial function. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism by using broiler pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (PAECs). Our results showed that genistein stimulated a rapid phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser(1179) which was associated with activation of eNOS/NO axis. Further study indicated that the activation of eNOS was not mediated through estrogen receptors or tyrosine kinase inhibition, but via a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt-dependent signaling pathway, as the eNOS activity and related NO release were largely abolished by pharmacological inhibitors of PI3K or Akt. Thus, our findings revealed a critical function of Akt in mediating genistein-stimulated eNOS activity in PAECs, partially accounting for the beneficial effects of genistein on the development of cardiovascular diseases observed in animal models.

Keyword

endothelial cells; genistein; nitric oxide synthase type III; proto-oncogene proteins c-akt; pulmonary artery

MeSH Terms

Animals
Cell Line
Chickens
Disease Models, Animal
Endothelium, Vascular/drug effects/*metabolism/pathology
Enzyme Activation/drug effects
Female
Genistein/*pharmacology
Humans
Hypertension, Pulmonary/drug therapy/*metabolism/pathology
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III/genetics/*metabolism
Oncogene Protein v-akt/*metabolism
Phosphorylation
Signal Transduction/drug effects