Smooth muscle light-chain kinase

Small particles, luminescence, 35 350-351 Smooth muscle light-chain kinase, 46 447-448 Sn, delocalization, 35 382 [Sn,(DIPT)J, 40 450 [SnCTIPTlj], 40 450 SO, -, 33 95-96 SO, -, chemistry, 33 93-94 SOj -, kinetic trans effect, 34 163 SO2, square-pyramidal adducts, 34 268 SOD, see under individual superoxide dismu-tases Sodium... 

Ikebe M, Reardon S (1990) Phosphorylation of smooth myosin light chain kinase by smooth muscle Ca " /calmodulin-dependent multifunctional protein kinase. J Biol Chem 265 8975-8978... 

Smooth muscle contractions are subject to the actions of hormones and related agents. As shown in Figure 17.32, binding of the hormone epinephrine to smooth muscle receptors activates an intracellular adenylyl cyclase reaction that produces cyclic AMP (cAMP). The cAMP serves to activate a protein kinase that phosphorylates the myosin light chain kinase. The phosphorylated MLCK has a lower affinity for the Ca -calmodulin complex and thus is physiologically inactive. Reversal of this inactivation occurs via myosin light chain kinase phosphatase. 

The ETa receptor activates G proteins of the Gq/n and G12/i3 family. The ETB receptor stimulates G proteins of the G and Gq/11 family. In endothelial cells, activation of the ETB receptor stimulates the release of NO and prostacyclin (PGI2) via pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins. In smooth muscle cells, the activation of ETA receptors leads to an increase of intracellular calcium via pertussis toxin-insensitive G proteins of the Gq/11 family and to an activation of Rho proteins most likely via G proteins of the Gi2/i3 family. Increase of intracellular calcium results in a calmodulin-dependent activation of the myosin light chain kinase (MLCK, Fig. 2). MLCK phosphorylates the 20 kDa myosin light chain (MLC-20), which then stimulates actin-myosin interaction of vascular smooth muscle cells resulting in vasoconstriction. Since activated Rho... 

Smooth muscle myosin contains two myosin light chains. Phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain by myosin light chain kinase is a mandatory step to induce contraction. 

Jiang, H Rao, K., Halayko, A.J., Liu. X., Stephens, N.L. (1992). Ragweed sensitization-induced increase of myosin light chain kinase content in canine airway smooth muscle. Am. J. Respir. Cell. Mol. Biol. 7, 567-573. 

Of the several kinase activities which are important in smooth muscle, myosin light chain kinase, MLCK, is the one responsible for activation of the actin-myosin system to in vivo levels. MLCK is present in the other nonmuscle cell types which have the actin-myosin contractile system and all of these are probably activated in a manner similar to smooth muscle rather than by way of the Ca -troponin mechanism of striated muscle. MLCK from smooth muscle is about 130 kDa and is rather variable in shape. It is present in smooth muscle in 1-4 pM concentrations and binds with an equally high affinity to both myosin and actin. Thus, most MLCK molecules are bound to actin. Myosin light chain serine-19 is the primary target of smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase. 

Smooth muscle sarcoplasm contains a myosin light chain kinase that is calcium-dependent. The Ca activation of myosin fight chain kinase requires binding of calmodulin-4Ca to its kinase subunit (Figure 49-14). 

The calcium mediated contraction of smooth muscle, which unlike striated muscle does not contain troponin, is quite different and requires a particular calcium-binding protein called calmodulin. Calmodulin (CM) is a widely distributed regulatory protein able to bind, with high affinity, four Ca2+ per protein molecule. The calcium—calmodulin (CaCM) complex associates with, and activates, regulatory proteins, usually enzymes, in many different cell types in smooth muscle the target regulatory proteins are caldesmon (CDM) and the enzyme myosin light chain kinase (MLCK). As described below, CaCM impacts on both actin and myosin filaments. 

These messengers also play a role in regulating contraction of myometrium, which consists of smooth muscle fibres. Contraction is controlled by increases in the concentration of cytosolic Ca ions. Prostaglandins activate Ca ion channels in the plasma membrane of the fibres oxytocin activates release of Ca from intracellular stores. The increase in concentration of Ca ions leads to activation of myosin light-chain kinase which leads to crossbridge cycling and contraction (as described in Chapter 22 Figure 22.12). 

Figure 22.12 Regulation of actin-myosin interaction in smooth muscle via the light-chain kinase and phosphatase and effect on blood pressure. ions bind to calmodulin and the complex stimulates the conversion of inactive myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) to active MLCK which then phosphorylates the light chain. This results in activation of the cross-bridge cycle. The overall effect is vasoconstriction of the arteriole, which increases blood pressure.

Mamar-Bachi, A. Cox, J.A. Quantitative analysis of the free energy coupling in the system calmodulin, calcium, smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase. Cdl Calcium 1987, 8, 473-482. 

Many of the biochemical and molecular events that are responsible for uterine smooth muscle contraction are the same as those that control other smooth muscle tissues (Fig. 62.1). Once uterine smooth muscle sensitivity has been augmented, actin and myosin must interact for contraction to occur. This interaction depends on the phosphorylation of the contractile proteins by the enzyme myosin light chain kinase (MLCK). This enzyme requires Ca++ and is active only when associated with calmodulin. Activation of the entire muscle contraction... 

NO released by GTN activates soluble, cytosolic form of guanylyl cyclase in vascular smooth muscles by interacting with haem group in the enzyme. This converts GTP to cGMP. cGMP dephosphorylates myosin light chain kinase and prevent myosin interaction with actin leading to relaxation. 

Mechanism of action of nitrates, nitrites, and other substances that increase the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in vascular smooth muscle cells. Steps leading to relaxation are shown with heavy arrows. MLCK, activated myosin light-chain kinase [see Figure 12-1]. GC, activated guanylyl cyclase PDE, phosphodiesterase eNOS, endothelial nitric oxide synthase. 

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