AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Rho kinase (ROK) are known to modulate the mevalonate pathway. Activation of AMPK suppresses 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-coenzyme A (CoA) reductase. ROK acts downstream of HMG-CoA reductase, and its inhibition exerts antiatherosclerosis effects. However, whether or not these enzymes are involved in bone metabolism is unclear. The present study was un...

Rho-kinase plays an important role in modulating Ca(2+) sensitivity of vascular smooth muscle and has been suggested to be involved in the increased systemic vascular resistance in hypertensive animals. However, it remains to be examined whether this is also the case in patients with essential hypertension. Recently, it has been shown that fasudil is a specific Rho-kinase inhibitor. The aim of ...

Recent studies have suggested a role for aldosterone in the pathogenesis of renal injury. This study investigated the potential contributions of Rho-kinase and TGF-beta pathways to aldosterone-induced renal injury. Rats were uninephrectomized and then treated for 5 wk with 1% NaCl in a drinking solution and one of the following: Vehicle (2% ethanol, subcutaneously; n = 9); aldosterone (0.75 mic...

The authors retract this publication due to technical errors in the experiments reported. During the process of summarizing data for another manuscript, the authors noticed that some of the data relate to experiments different from those described in the article. The samples for real-time PCR analysis and the aortic diameter measurements originate from the suprarenal aorta, and not the infraren...

Caveolae are specialized membrane microdomains expressing the scaffolding protein caveolin-1. We recently demonstrated the presence of caveolae in human airway smooth muscle (ASM) and the contribution of caveolin-1 to intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) regulation. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that caveolin-1 regulates ASM contractility. We examined the role of caveolins in fo...

Delayed cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) may be due, in part, to altered regulation of arterial smooth muscle contraction. Contraction of cerebral arteries to serotonin is augmented after experimental SAH. We hypothesized that activation of Rho-associated kinase (Rho kinase) contributes to augmented contraction of cerebral arteries to serotonin after SAH. Autologous arteri...

Rho kinase (ROCK) is a well-known downstream effector of Rho and plays an important role in various physiopathological processes. In this study, we aim to investigate the correlation between ROCK and microvascular damage in rat brain subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and reperfusion, and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the microvascular damage. ROCK and matrix metallop...

Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) are the first-line treatment for coronary artery spasm (CAS). When CAS-related angina symptoms not well controlled by CCB therapy, long-acting nitrates or (where available) nicorandil can be added as second-line medications. In case of CAS refractory to standard treatments, several other alternative drugs and interventions have been proposed, including Rho-kinase...