LDL-activated p38 in endothelial cells is mediated by Ras

Endothelial dysfunction is a major atherogenic proinflammatory event. LDL causes the activation and phenotypic changes of cultured vascular endothelial cells (ECs). We previously reported that LDL activates c-Jun and AP-1 in ECs. In this study, we demonstrated that p38-ATF-2 is activated by LDL in human ECs and that this activation is mediated by Ras. When ECs are incubated with LDL in pathophysiological concentrations, the p38-mediated ATF-2 phosphorylation and ATF-2 transactivation are increased in a time- and dose-dependent manner. To elucidate the upstream mechanism in LDL-activated p38 in ECs, we demonstrate that LDL increases Ras translocation from the cytoplasm to the cellular membrane, with concurrent increases in Ras binding activity to GST-Raf-1. Overexpression of RasN17, a dominant negative mutant of Ras, attenuates the LDL-induced increases in (1) phosphorylation of ATF-2, (2) phosphorylation of c-Jun, (3) AP-1 binding, and (4) AP-1-driven luciferase activity. To study the effect of p38 in the regulation of an LDL targeting gene, we show that a specific p38 inhibitor attenuates LDL-induced E-selectin at the mRNA level. Thus, LDL activates both p38 and JNK signaling pathways through Ras activation, and furthermore, these events may play an important role in LDL-induced endothelial activation.