The anti-atherosclerotic di-peptide, Trp-His, inhibits the phosphorylation of voltage-dependent L-type Ca(2+) channels in rat vascular smooth muscle cells.

Abstract

Trp-His is the only vasoactive di-peptide known to regulate intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]i) and prevent the onset of atherosclerosis in mice. In this study, we showed that Trp-His reduced the [Ca(2+)]i elevation in phospholipase C-activated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), while a mixture of the corresponding constituent amino acids did not show significant reduction. Furthermore, Trp-His suppressed calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMK II) activity in angiotensin II-stimulated VSMCs, resulting in the inhibition of phosphorylation of voltage-dependent L-type Ca(2+) channels (VDCC). Therefore, Trp-His potentially regulates the VDCC phosphorylation cascade through Ca(2+)-CaM/CaMK II.

• Authors: Yutaro Kobayashi, Toshihiko Fukuda, Mitsuru Tanaka, Toshiro Matsui
• Journal: FEBS open bio (FEBS Open Bio) Vol. 2 Pg. 83-8 ( 2012) ISSN: 2211-5463 [Print] England
• PMID: 23650584 (Publication Type: Journal Article)