Molecular pharmacology of calcium, calmodulin-dependent myosin phosphorylation in vascular smooth muscle

The Ca2+, calmodulin (CaM)-dependent phosphorylation of the 20 kDa myosin light chain (LC20) is accepted as an important component of the regulatory mechanism in smooth muscle contraction. Since we have originally developed selective inhibitors of each process of the intracellular Ca2+ messenger system, the effect of a newly synthesized compound ML-9, a myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) inhibitor on superprecipitation of actomyosin, isometric tension development and phosphorylation of LC20 in vascular smooth muscle was investigated. Superprecipitation of actomyosin from bovine aorta was inhibited by the addition of ML-9 in a dose-dependent manner. In chemically skinned smooth muscle cells of the rabbit mesenteric artery, ML-9 inhibited both Ca2+ and Ca2+, CaM-independent MLCK-induced contraction. In the intact vascular strips, increase in LC20 phosphorylation reached a maximal value within 10 sec from a resting value, and then declined to near the basal level during the maintained isometric force developed in response to 50 mmol/L KCl. Both the maximal rate and extent of KCl-induced contraction and the phosphorylation of LC20 were also inhibited by ML-9. It antagonized the contraction induced by various contractile agonists, such as NE, 5HT, His, and Ang II concomitant with the inhibition of LC20 phosphorylation. These results suggest that ML-9 inhibits the actin-myosin interaction through the modulation of LC20 phosphorylation via the inhibition of MLCK activity. ML-9 will aid in determining pathophysiological functions of MLCK of increased vascular contractility in hypertension.