Endothelin-2 mRNA splice variants detected by RT-PCR in cultured human vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells
O'Reilly, G.; Charnock-Jones, D.S.; Cameron, I.T.; Smith, S.K.; Davenport, A.P.
Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology 22(Suppl): S18-S21
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0160-2446 PMID: 7509938 Document Number: 421087
Our aim was to examine the hypothesis that vascular smooth-muscle cells (VSMCs) express only ET-A mRNA and endothelial cells express only ET-B mRNA and to determine which ET mRNA isoforms are expressed in these cell cultures. Using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, we were able to detect ET-B, ET-1 and splice variant ET-2 mRNA in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and ET-A and splice variant ET-2 mRNA in cultured aortic smooth-muscle cells. The presence of ET-2 mRNA in cultured VSMCs has not been previously reported. These results agree with endothelial cells to act predominantly on ET-A receptors the hypothesis that ET-1 may be released from vascular on VSMCs to stimulate contraction of the underlying smooth-muscle cells, and that endothelium-derived relaxing factor release may be mediated predominantly via the ET-B receptors on HUVECs. The role of ET-2 expression from HUVECs and VSMCs is less clear.