Anti-atherosclerotic action of vascular D1 receptors

1. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and proliferation are believed to play key roles in atherosclerosis. To elucidate the role of vascular dopamine D1-like (D1 and D5) receptors in atherosclerosis, the effects of dopamine and the specific D1-like receptor agonists SKF 38393 and YM 435 on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB-mediated VSMC migration, proliferation and hypertrophy were investigated. 2. We observed that cell stimulated by 5 ng/mL PDGF-BB showed increased migration, proliferation and hypertrophy. These effects were prevented by co-incubation with dopamine, SKF 38393 or YM 435 at 1-10 mumol/L and this prevention was reversed by Sch 23390 (1-10 mumol/L), a specific D1-like receptor antagonist. These actions of D1-like receptor agonists were mimicked by 1-10 mumol/L forskolin, a direct activator of adenylate cyclase, and 0.1-1 mmol/L 8-bromo-cAMP. The actions were blocked by the specific protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor N-[2-(p-bromocinnamylamino) ethyl]-5-isoquinoline-sulphonamide (H 89), but were not blocked by its negative control N-[2-(N-formyl-p-chlorocinnamylamino) ethyl]-5-isoquinoline sulphonamide (H 85). Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (5 ng/mL)-mediated activation of phospholipase D (PLD), protein kinase C (PKC) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity was significantly suppressed by co-incubation with dopamine. 3. These results suggest that vascular D1-like receptor agonists inhibit migration, proliferation and hypertrophy of VSMC, possibly through the activation of PKA and the suppression of activated PLD, PKC and MAPK activity.