Relationship between hypertension and atherosclerosis: From a viewpoint of the most potent vasoconstrictor human urotensin II

Current Hypertension Reviews

Volumn 2, Issue 3, 2006, Pages 237-246

  Watanabe, Takuya ^a   Kanome, Tomoko ^a   Miyazaki, Akira ^a  

^a SHOWA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE   (Japan)

Author keywords

Atherosclerosis; Coronary artery disease; Hypertension; Metabolic syndrome; Urotensin II

Indexed keywords

ABC TRANSPORTER A1; ACETYL LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN; ANTIHYPERTENSIVE AGENT; ATRIAL NATRIURETIC FACTOR; BRAIN NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE; C REACTIVE PROTEIN; CHOLESTEROL ACYLTRANSFERASE; COLLAGEN TYPE 1; ENDOTHELIN 1; ENDOTHELIUM DERIVED HYPERPOLARIZING FACTOR; EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR; FOCAL ADHESION KINASE; GAMMA INTERFERON; GUANINE NUCLEOTIDE BINDING PROTEIN ALPHA SUBUNIT; INTERLEUKIN 1BETA; INTERLEUKIN 6; MITOGEN ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE; MYOSIN LIGHT CHAIN KINASE; NITRIC OXIDE; OXIDIZED LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN; PHOSPHOLIPASE C; PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR INHIBITOR 1; PROSTAGLANDIN E2; PROTEIN KINASE C; REACTIVE OXYGEN METABOLITE; REDUCED NICOTINAMIDE ADENINE DINUCLEOTIDE PHOSPHATE OXIDASE; RHO KINASE; SEROTONIN; UNINDEXED DRUG; UROTENSIN;

AMINO ACID SEQUENCE; ATHEROSCLEROSIS; ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE; CELL GROWTH; CELL PROLIFERATION; CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE; CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE; DIABETES MELLITUS; ENDOTHELIUM CELL; ENZYME ACTIVATION; ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION; FOAM CELL; GENETIC POLYMORPHISM; HUMAN; HYPERTENSION; LYMPHOCYTE; MACROPHAGE; METABOLIC SYNDROME X; NONHUMAN; PATHOGENESIS; PORTAL HYPERTENSION; PRIORITY JOURNAL; PROTEIN BLOOD LEVEL; PROTEIN EXPRESSION; PROTEIN STRUCTURE; REVIEW; SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION; UPREGULATION; VASCULAR SMOOTH MUSCLE; VASOCONSTRICTION;

EID: 33748113826     PISSN: 15734021     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2174/157340206778132536     Document Type: Review

References (106)

1. Chobanian AV, Alexander RW. Exacerbation of atherosclerosis by hypertension. Arch Internal Med 1996; 156: 1952-6.
2. Kannel WB, Sorle P. Hypertension in Framingham. In: Paul O Ed, Epidemiology and control of hypertension. New York, NY: Thieme-Stratton Inc. 1975; 553-92.
3. Takeuchi H, Saitoh S, Takagi S, et al. Metabolic syndrome and cardiac disease in Japanese men: applicability of the concept of metabolic syndrome defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III to Japanese men-the Tanno and Sobetsu Study. Hypertens Res 2005; 28: 203-8.
4. Ishizaka N, Ishizaka Y, Toda E, Hashimoto H, Nagai R, Yamakado M. Hypertension is the most common component of metabolic syndrome and the greatest contributor to carotid arteriosclerosis in apparently healthy Japanese individuals. Hypertens Res 2005; 28: 27-34.
5. Working Group on Management of Patients With Hypertension and High Blood Cholesterol. National Education Program Working Group report on the management of patients with hypertension and high blood cholesterol. Ann Intern Med 1991; 114: 224-37.
6. Chobanian AV, Lichtenstein AH, Nilakhe V, Haudenschild CC, Drago R, Nickerson C. Influence of hypertension on aortic atherosclerosis in the Watanabe rabbit. Hypertension 1989; 14: 203-9.
7. Tropea BI, Huie P, Cooke JP, Tsao PS, Sibley RK, Zarins CK. Hypertension-enhanced monocyte adhesion in experimental atherosclerosis. J Vasc Surg 1996; 23: 596-605.
8. Taddei S, Virdis A, Ghiadoni L, Salvetti G, Salvetti A. Endothelial dysfunction in hypertension. J Nephrol 2000; 13: 205-10.
9. Curmi PA, Juan L, Tedgui A. Effect of transmural pressure on low density lipoprotein and albumin transport and distribution across the intact arterial wall. Circ Res 1990; 66: 1692-702.
10. Santilli SM, Fiegel VD, Knighton DR. Changes in the aortic wall oxygen tensions of hypertensive rabbits. Hypertension 1992; 19: 33-9.
11. Crawford DW, Blankenhorn DH. Arterial wall oxygenation, oxyradicals, and atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis 1991; 89: 97-108.
12. Hozawa A, Ebihara S, Ohmori K, et al. Increased plasma 8-isoprostane levels in hypertensive subjects: the Tsurugaya project. Hypertens Res 2004; 27: 557-61.
13. Frostegard J, Wu R, Lemne C, Thulin T, Witztum JL, Faire U. Circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein is increased in hypertension. Clin Sci (Lond) 2003; 105: 615-20.
14. Watanabe T, Pakala R, Katagiri T, Benedict CR. Antioxidant N-acetylcysteine inhibits vasoactive agents-potentiated mitogenic effect of mildly oxidized LDL on vascular smooth muscle cells. Hypertens Res 2002; 25: 311-4.
15. Watanae T, Kanome T, Miyazaki A, Katagiri T. Human Urotensin II as a link between hypertension and coronary artery disease. Hyportens Res 2006; 29: 375-87.
16. Perazella MA, Setaro JF. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system: fundamental aspects and clinical implications in renal and cardio-vascular disorders. J Nucl Cardiol 2003; 10: 184-96.
17. Ames RS, Sarau HM, Douglas SA, et al. Human urotensin II is a potent vasoconstrictor and agonist for the orphan receptor GPR14. Nature 1999; 401: 282-6.
18. Watanabe T, Suguro T, Miyazaki A, et al. Human urotensin II accelerates foam cell formation in human monocyte-derived macrophages. Hypertension 2005; 46: 738-44.
19. Watanabe T, Pakala R, Katagiri T, Benedict CR. Synergistic effect of urotensin II with mildly oxidized LDL on DNA synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells. Circulation 2001; 104: 16-18.
20. Watanabe T, Pakala R, Katagiri T, Benedict CR. Synergistic effect of urotensin II with serotonin on vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. J Hypertens 2001; 19: 2191-6.
21. Coulouarn Y, Lihrmann I, Jegou S, et al. Cloning of the cDNA encoding the urotensin II precursor in frog and human reveals intense expression of the urotensin II gene in motoneurons of the spinal cord. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1998; 95: 15803-8.
22. Douglas SA, Ohlstein EH. Human urotensin-II, the most potent mammalian vasoconstrictor identified to date, as a therapeutic target for the management of cardiovascular disease. Trends Cardiovasc Med 2000; 10: 229-37.
23. Russell FD, Kearns P, Toth I, Molenaar P. Urotensin-II-converting enzyme activity of furin and trypsin in human cells in vitro. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2004; 310: 209-14.
24. Douglas SA, Ohlstein EH. Urotensin receptors. In: Girdalstone D (ed): The IUPHAR compendium of receptor characterization and classification. London, IUPHAR Media. 2000; 365-72.
25. Suzuki S, Wenyi Z, Hirai M, et al. Genetic variations at urotensin II and urotensin II receptor genes and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japaneses. Peptides 2004; 25: 1803-8.
26. Protopopov A, Kashuba V, Podowski R, et al. Assignment of the GPR14 gene coding for the G-protein-coupled receptor 14 to human chromosome 17q25.3 by fluorescent in situ hybridization. Cytogenet Cell Genet 2000; 88: 312-3.
27. Maguire JJ, Davenport AP. Is urotensin-II the new endothelin? Br J Pharmacol 2002; 137: 579-88.
28. Maguire JJ, Kuc RE, Wiley KE, Kleinz MJ, Davenport AP. Cellular distribution of immunoreactive urotensin-II in human tissues with evidence of increased expression in atherosclerosis and a greater constrictor response of small compared to large coronary arteries. Peptides 2004; 25: 1767-74.
29. Bousette N, Patel L, Douglas SA, Ohlstein EH, Giaid A. Increased expression of urotensin II and its cognate receptor GPR14 in atherosclerotic lesions of the human aorta. Atherosclerosis 2004; 176: 117-23.
30. Richards AM, Charles C: Urotensin II in the cardiovascular system. Peptides 2004; 25: 1795-802.
31. Russell FD, Meyers D, Galbraith AJ, et al. Elevated plasma levels of human urotensin-II immunoreactivity in congestive heart failure. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2003; 285: 1576-81.
32. Johns DG, Ao Z, Naselsky D, et al. Urotensin-II-mediated cardio-myocyte hypertrophy: effect of receptor antagonism and role of inflammatory mediators. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2004; 370: 238-50.
33. Birker-Robaczewska M, Boukhadra C, Studer R, Mueller C, Binkert C, Nayler O. The expression of urotensin II receptor (U2R) is up-regulated by interferon-γ. J Recept Signal Transduct Res 2003; 23: 289-305.
34. Douglas SA, Tayara L, Ohlstein EH, Halawa N, Giaid A. Congestive heart failure and expression of myocardial urotensin II. Lancet 2002; 359: 1990-7.
35. Mallamaci F, Cutrupi S, Pizzini P, Tripepi G, Zoccali C. Urotensin II in end-stage renal disease: an inverse correlate of sympathetic function and cardiac natriuretic peptides. J Nephrol 2005; 18: 727-732.
36. Charles CJ, Rademaker MT, Richards AM, Yandle TG. Urotensin II: evidence for cardiac, hepatic and renal production. Peptides 2005; 26: 2211-4.
37. Cheung BM, Leung R, Man YB, Wong LY. Plasma concentration of urotensin II is raised in hypertension. J Hypertens 2004; 22: 1341-4.
38. Heringlake M, Kox T, Uzun O, et al. The relationship between urotensin II plasma immunoreactivity and left ventricular filling pressures in coronary artery disease. Regul Pept 2004; 121: 129-36.
39. Lapp H, Boerrigter G, Costello-Boerrigter LC, et al. Elevated plasma human urotensin-II-like immunoreactivity in ischemic cardiomyopathy. Int J Cardiol 2004; 94: 93-7.
40. Ng LL, Loke I, O'Brien RJ, Squire IB, Davies JE. Plasma urotensin in human systolic heart failure. Circulation 2002; 106: 2877-80.
41. Totsune K, Takahashi K, Arihara Z, Sone M, Ito S, Murakami O. Increased plasma urotensin II levels in patients with diabetes mellitus. Clin Sci (Lond) 2003; 104: 1-5.
42. Totsune K, Takahashi K, Arihara Z, et al. Role of urotensin II in patients on dialysis. Lancet 2001; 358: 810-1.
43. Heller J, Schepke M, Neef M, Woitas R, Rabe C, Sauerbruch T. Increased urotensin II plasma levels in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. J Hepatol 2002; 37: 767-72.
44. Balat O, Aksoy F, Kutlar I, et al. Increased plasma levels of Urotensin-II in preeclampsia-eclampsia: a new mediator in pathogenesis? Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2005; 120: 33-8.
45. Gruson D, Rousseau MF, Ahn SA, van Linden, Ketelslegers JM. Circulating urotensin II levels in moderate to severe congestive heart failure: its relations with myocardial function and well established neurohormonal markers. Peptide 2006, in press.
46. Gibson A. Complex effects on Gillichthys urotensin II on rat aortic strips. Br J Pharmacol 1987; 91: 205-12.
47. MacLean MR, Alexander D, Douglas SA, et al. Contractile responses to human urotensin-II in rat and human pulmonary arteries: effect of endothelial factors and chronic hypoxia in the rat. Br J Pharmacol 2000; 130: 201-4.
48. Bottrill FE, Douglas SA, Hiley CR, White R. Human urotensin-II is an endothelium-dependent vasodilator in rat small arteries. Br J Pharmacol 2000; 130: 1865-70.
49. Douglas SA, Sulpizio AC, Piercy V, et al. Differential vasoconstrictor activity of human urotensin-II in vascular tissue isolated from the rat, mouse, dog, pig, marmoset and cynomolgus monkey. Br J Pharmacol 2000; 131: 1262-74.
50. Maguire JJ, Kuc RE, Davenport AP. Orphan-receptor ligand human urotensin II: receptor localization in human tissues and comparison of vasoconstrictor responses with endothelin-1. Br J Pharmacol 2000; 131: 441-6.
51. Behm DJ, Harrison SM, Douglas SA, et al. Deletion of the UT receptor gene results in the selective loss of urotensin-II contractile activity in aortae isolated from UT receptor knockout mice. Br J Pharmacol 2003; 139: 464-72.
52. Russell FD, Molenaar P. Investigation of signaling pathways that mediate the inotropic effect of urotensin-II in human heart. Cardiovasc Res 2004; 63: 673-81.
53. Russell FD, Molenaar P, O'Brien DM. Cardiostimulant effects of urotensin-II in human heart in vitro. Br J Pharmacol 2001; 132: 5-9.
54. Bennett RT, Jones RD, Morice AH, Smith CFC, Cowen ME. Vasoconstrictive effects of endothelin-1, endothelin-3, and urotensin II in isolated perfused human lungs and isolated human pulmonary arteries. Thorax 2004; 59: 401-7.
55. Hillier C, Berry C, Petrie MC, et al. Effects of urotensin II in human arteries and veins of varying caliber. Circulation 2001; 103: 1378-81.
56. Stirrat A, Gallagher M, Douglas SA, et al. Potent vasodilator responses to human urotensin-II in human pulmonary and abdominal resistance arteries. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2001; 280: H925-8.
57. Russell FD. Emerging roles of urotensin-II in cardiovascular disease. Pharmacol Ther 2004; 103: 223-43.
58. Giebing G, Tolle M, Jurgensen J, et al. Arrestin-independent internalization and recycling of the urotensin receptor contribute to long-lasting urotensin II-mediated vasoconstriction. Circ Res 2005; 97: 707-15.
59. Opgaard OS, Nothacker HP, Ehlert FJ, Krause DN. Human urotensin II mediates vasoconstriction via an increase in inositol phosphates. Eur J Pharmacol 2000; 406: 265-71.
60. Tasaki K, Hori M, Ozaki H, Karaki H, Wakabayashi I. Mechanism of human urotensin II-induced contraction in rat aorta. J Pharmacol Sci 2004; 94: 376-83.
61. Rossowski WJ, Cheng BL, Taylor JE, Datta R, Coy DH. Human urotensin II-induced aorta ring contractions are mediated by protein kinase C, tyrosine kinases and Rho-kinase: inhibition by somatostatin receptor antagonists. Eur J Pharmacol 2002; 438: 159-70.
62. Sauzeau V, Mellionnec EL, Bertoglio J, Scalbert E, Pacaud P, Loirand G. Human urotensin II-induced contraction and arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation are mediated by RhoA and Rho-kinase. Circ Res 2001; 88: 1102-4.
63. Ishihata A, Ogaki T, Aita T, Katano Y. Role of prostaglandins in urotensin II-induced vasodilatation in the coronary arteries of aged rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2005; 523: 119-26.
64. Lacza Z, W Busija D. Urotensin-II is a nitric oxide-dependent vasodilator in the pial arteries of the newborn pig. Life Sci 2006, in press.
65. Bohm F, Pernow J. Urotensin II evokes potent vasoconstriction in humans in vivo. Br J Pharmacol 2002; 135: 25-7.
66. Wilkinson IB, Affolter JT, de Haas SL, et al. High plasma concentrations of human urotensin II do not alter local or systemic hemodynamics in man. Cardiovasc Res 2002; 53: 341-7.
67. Affolter JT, Newby DE, Wilkinson IB, Winter MJ, Balment RJ, Webb DJ. No effect on central or peripheral blood pressure of systemic urotensin II infusion in humans. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2002; 54: 617-21.
68. Sondermeijer B, Kompa A, Komesaroff P, Krum H. Effect of exogenous urotensin-II on vascular tone in skin microcirculation of patients with essential hypertension. Am J Hypertens 2005; 18: 1195-9.
69. Behm DJ, Doe CP, Douglas SA, et al. Urotensin-II: a novel systemic hypertensive factor in the cat. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2004; 369: 274-80.
70. Lin Y, Tsuchihashi T, Matsumura K, Abe I, Iida M. Central cardiovascular action of urotensin II in conscious rats. J Hypertens 2003; 21: 159-65.
71. Lin Y, Tsuchihashi T, Matsumura K, et al. Central cardiovascular action of urotensin II in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Hypertens Res 2003; 26: 839-45.
72. Watson AMD, Lambert GW, Smith KJ, May CN. Urotensin II acts centrally to increase epinephrine and ACTH release and cause potent inotropic and chronotropic actions. Hypertension 2003; 42: 373-9.
73. Lu Y, Zou CJ, Huang DW, Tang CS. Cardiovascular effects of urotensin II in different brain areas. Peptides 2002; 23: 1631-5.
74. Song W, Ashton N, Balment RJ. A radioimmunoassay to detect urotensin II in the plasma of rat models of hypertension. J Physiol 2002; 544 (P): S024 (Abstract).
75. Thompson JP, Watt P, Sanghavi S, Strupish JW, Lambert DG. A comparison of cerebrospinal fluid and plasma urotensin II concentrations in normotensive and hypertensive patients undergoing urological surgery during spinal anesthesia: a pilot study. Anesth Analg 2003; 97: 1501-3.
76. Rdzanek A, Filipiak KJ, Karpinski G, Grabowski M, Opolski G. Exercise urotensin II dynamics in myocardial infarction survivors with and without hypertension. Int J Cardiol 2005, in press.
77. Matsushita M, Shichiri M, Imai T, et al. Co-expression of urotensin II and its receptor (GPR14) in human cardiovascular and renal tissues. J Hypertens 2001; 19: 2185-90.
78. Liu GQ, Zeng ZP, Li HZ, et al. Expression of urotensin II and G-protein coupled receptor 14 mRNA in human pheochromocytoma tissues. Zhongguo Yi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao 2005; 27: 457-60.
79. Watanabe T, Kanome T, Suguro T, Miyazaki A. Human urotensin II and metabolic syndrome. Vascular Disease Prevention 2006; 3: 91-8.
80. Takahashi K. Translational medicine in fish-derived peptides: from fish endocrinology to human physiology and diseases. Endocr J 2004; 51: 1-17.
81. Wenyi Z, Suzuki S, Hirai M, et al. Role of urotensin II gene in genetic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japanese subjects. Diabetologia 2003; 46: 972-6.
82. Ong KL, Wong LY, Man YB, et al. Haplotypes in the urotensin II gene and urotensin II receptor gene are associated with insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. Peptides 2006, in press.
83. Totsune K, Takahashi K, Arihara Z, et al. Elevated plasma levels of immunoreactive urotensin II and its increased urinary excretion in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: association with progress of diabetic nephropathy. Peptides 2004; 25: 1809-14.
84. Langham RG, Kelly DJ, Gow RM, et al. Increased expression of urotensin II and urotensin II receptor in human diabetic nephrophathy. Am J Kidney Dis 2004; 44: 826-31.
85. Silvestre RA, Egido EM, Hernandez R, et al. Urotensin-II is present in pancreatic extracts and inhibits insulin release in the perfused rat pancreas. Eur J Endocrinol 2004; 151: 803-9.
86. Sheridan MA, Plisetskaya EM, Bern HA, Gorbman A. Effects of somatostatin-25 and urotensin II on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism of coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch. Gen Comp Endocrinol 1987; 66: 405-14.
87. Sheridan MA, Bern HA. Both somatostatin and the caudal neuropeptide, urotensin II, stimulate lipid mobilization from coho salmon liver incubated in vitro. Regal Pept 1986; 14: 333-44.
88. Do-Rego JC, Chatenet D, Orta MH, et al. Behavioral effects of urotensin-II centrally administered in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2005; 14: 1-15.
89. Matsumoto Y, Abe M, Watanabe T, et al. Intracerebroventricular administration of urotensin II promotes anxiogenic-like behaviors in rodents. Neurosci Lett 2004; 358: 99-102.
90. Wang ZJ, Shi LB, Xiong ZW, et al. Alteration of vascular urotensin II receptor in mice with apolipoprotein E gene knockout. Peptides 2006;27:858-63.
91. Rakowski E, Hassan GS, Dhanak D, Ohlstein EH, Douglas SA, Giaid A. A role for urotensin II in restenosis following balloon angioplasty: use of a selective UT receptor blocker. J Moll Cell Cardiol 2005;39: 785-91.
92. Suguro T, Watanabe T, Kodate S, et al. Increased levels of human urotensin II are correlated with carotid atherosclerosis in patient with essential hypertension. Am J Hypertens 2006, in press.
93. Hongfang J, Bailin C, Bin Z, et al. Effects of hydrogen sulfide on hypoxic pulmonary vascular structural remodeling. Life Sci 2006; 78: 1299-309.
94. Djordjevic T, BelAiba RS, Bonello S, Pfeilschifter J, Hess J, Gorlach A. Human urotensin II is a novel activator of NADPH oxidase in human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2005; 25: 519-25.
95. Fang SH, Li ZL, Wu HC, et al. Clinical study of plasma urotensin II in patients with coronary heart disease. Di Yi Jun Yi Da Xue Xue Bao 2004; 24: 563-5.
96. Hassan GS, Douglas SA, Ohlstein EH, Giaid A. Expression of urotensin-II in human coronary atherosclerosis. Peptides 2005; 26: 2464-72.
97. Katugampola SD, Kuc RE, Maguire JJ, Davenport. G-protein-coupled receptors in human atherosclerosis: comparison of vasoconstrictors (endothelin and thromboxane) with recently deorphanized (urotensin-II, apelin and ghrelin) receptors. Clin Sci (Lond) 2002; 103: 171S-5S.
98. Gendron G, Simard B, Gobeil F Jr, Sirois P, D'Orleans-Juste P, Regoli D. Human urotensin-II enhances plasma extravasation in specific vascular districts in Wistar rats. Can J Pysiol Pharmacol 2004; 82: 16-21.
99. Shi L, Ding W, Li D, et al. Proliferation and anti-apoptotic effects of human urotensin II on human endothelial cells. Atherosclerosis 2006, 186: 275-81.
100. Wang H, Mehra JL, Chen K, Zhang X, Li D. Human urotensin II modulates collagen synthesis and the expression of MMP-1 in human endothelial cells. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2004; 44: 577-81.
101. Hori M, Miyazaki A, Tamagawa H, et al. Up-regulation of acylcoenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase-1 by transforming growth factor-β1 during differentiation of human monocytes into macrophages. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2004; 320: 501-5.
102. Suguro T, Watanabe T, Miyazaki A, et al: Serotonin acts as an upregulator of acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase-1 in human monocyte-macrophages. Atherosclerosis 2006, in press.
103. Furukawa K, Hori M, Miyazaki A, et al. Adiponectin down-regulates acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase-1 in cultured human monocyte-derived macrophages. Biochem Biophys Res Common 2004; 317: 831-6.
104. Peng X, Yin H, Wang LH, Chai SB, Shu JL, Tang CS. Content and activity of the focal adhesion kinase in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells enhanced by urotensin II. Sheng Li Xue Bao 2000; 52: 455-8.
105. Tamura K, Okazaki M, Tamura M, Isozumi K, Tasaki H, Nakashima Y. Urotensin II-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells: involvement of cell adhesion-mediated integrin signaling. Life Sci 2003; 72: 1049-60.
106. Tzanidis A, Hannan RD, Thomas WG, et al. Direct actions of urotensin II on the heart: implications for cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy. Circ Res 2003; 93: 246-53.