Smooth muscle plays an essential role in a wide variety of physiological processes, and although the basic function of every smooth muscle is the same, to contract and relax, the mechanical properties and responsiveness to hormones, neurotransmitters and drugs varies greatly between smooth muscle types. Factors that dictate the contractile characteristics of smooth muscle include plasma membrane properties, ratio and compliment of signal transducing proteins, the composition of the contractile apparatus itself. Alteration in the normal blend of these components is thought to underlie the molecular basis of several human diseases that involve smooth muscle including hypertension, bronco spasm, sexual dysfunction, gastrointestinal disorders and glaucoma. It is our hypothesis that by studying the molecular processes by which individual smooth muscles normally respond to stimulation will lead to more selective therapies to treat these disorders. The recent completion of the human and mouse genomes in combination with advanced techniques in mass spectrometry affords new opportunities for probing signal transduction pathways in cells. In this proposal we will employ a unique combination of proteomics, muscle physiology, molecular biology, immuno-histochemistry and mouse genetics to determine the molecular mechanisms by which cGMP through the activation of cyclic GMP dependant protein kinase (PKG) regulates smooth muscle relaxation. Examination of phosphoproteomes of various smooth muscles identified a distinct subset of early protein targets for PKG. Several were identified in the mouse and human genome, including CHASM, a novel protein containing a previously unidentified motif that is highly conserved in the smoothelin family of smooth muscle specific proteins. When added to permeabilized smooth muscles, CHASM causes calcium desensitization and relaxation in a phosphorylation dependant manner. The degree of sequence divergence of the intervening non-conserved amino acids within the CHASM motif region suggests that CHASM and the smoothelins may be part of a larger family of smooth muscle specific proteins that are important in the mediating the actions of cGMP/PKG. To directly test this hypothesis we have deleted the CHASM gene and obtained CHASM null mice. ? ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DK065954-02
Application #
7214089
Study Section
Vascular Cell and Molecular Biology Study Section (VCMB)
Program Officer
Jones, Teresa L Z
Project Start
2006-04-01
Project End
2010-03-31
Budget Start
2007-04-01
Budget End
2008-03-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$310,277
Indirect Cost
Name
Duke University
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
044387793
City
Durham
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27705
Lontay, Beata; Bodoor, Khaldon; Sipos, Adrienn et al. (2015) Pregnancy and Smoothelin-like Protein 1 (SMTNL1) Deletion Promote the Switching of Skeletal Muscle to a Glycolytic Phenotype in Human and Mice. J Biol Chem 290:17985-98
Weitzel, Douglas H; Chambers, Jenica; Haystead, Timothy A J (2011) Phosphorylation-dependent control of ZIPK nuclear import is species specific. Cell Signal 23:297-303
Lontay, Beata; Bodoor, Khaldon; Weitzel, Douglas H et al. (2010) Smoothelin-like 1 protein regulates myosin phosphatase-targeting subunit 1 expression during sexual development and pregnancy. J Biol Chem 285:29357-66
Borman, Meredith A; Freed, Tiffany A; Haystead, Timothy A J et al. (2009) The role of the calponin homology domain of smoothelin-like 1 (SMTNL1) in myosin phosphatase inhibition and smooth muscle contraction. Mol Cell Biochem 327:93-100
Wooldridge, Anne A; Fortner, Christopher N; Lontay, Beata et al. (2008) Deletion of the protein kinase A/protein kinase G target SMTNL1 promotes an exercise-adapted phenotype in vascular smooth muscle. J Biol Chem 283:11850-9