Myogenic vasoconstriction requires G12/G13 and LARG to maintain local and systemic vascular resistance
Abstract
Myogenic vasoconstriction is an autoregulatory function of small arteries. Recently, G-protein-coupled receptors have been involved in myogenic vasoconstriction, but the downstream signalling mechanisms and the in-vivo-function of this myogenic autoregulation are poorly understood. Here, we show that small arteries from mice with smooth muscle-specific loss of G12/G13 or the Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor ARHGEF12 have lost myogenic vasoconstriction. This defect was accompanied by loss of RhoA activation, while vessels showed normal increases in intracellular [Ca2+]. In the absence of myogenic vasoconstriction, perfusion of peripheral organs was increased, systemic vascular resistance was reduced and cardiac output and left ventricular mass were increased. In addition, animals with defective myogenic vasoconstriction showed aggravated hypotension in response to endotoxin. We conclude that G12/G13- and Rho-mediated signaling plays a key role in myogenic vasoconstriction and that myogenic tone is required to maintain local and systemic vascular resistance under physiological and pathological condition.
Data availability
All data generated or analysed during this study are included in the manuscript and supporting files. Source data files have been provided for Figures 1-5.
Article and author information
Author details
Funding
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (Open-access funding)
- Stefan Offermanns
This study was funded by the Max Planck Society.
Ethics
Animal experimentation: All animal care and use procedures in this study were approved by the local authorities (protocol numbers: B2-1031, B2-1166, B2-1069 Regierungspräsidia Karlsruhe and Darmstadt).
Copyright
© 2019, Chennupati et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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