MAPK and PKC activity are not required for H(2)O(2)-induced arterial muscle contraction.

H(2)O(2)-induced pulmonary arterial smooth muscle (PASM) contractions are independent of Ca(2+) and myosin light chain phosphorylation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and ERK2, or protein kinase C (PKC) activation is required for H(2)O(2)-induced contraction. Porcine PASM strips were stimulated with 1 mM H(2)O(2), 120 mM KCl, or 10 microM phorbol myristic acetate and freeze clamped at various times during the contractions. Changes in relative amounts of tyrosine/threonine phosphorylated MAPK compared with total MAPK were measured. MAPK tyrosine phosphorylation levels increased in correlation with tension development. However, 50 microM PD-98059, a MAPK/ERK kinase-MAPK kinase blocker, reduced MAPK phosphorylation below resting levels, even though the magnitude of the isometric tension development was unaltered. Freeze-clamped PASM strips were placed in a PKC activity assay buffer containing (32)P and CaCl(2) to measure the total myelin basic protein phosphorylation. The data show that: 1) the time courses of PKC activity and force produced in response to H(2)O(2) do not correlate, and 2) MAPK activation may be a concurrent event with, or a consequence of, tension development in response to a variety of agonists but is not responsible for contractions to H(2)O(2), high K(+), or phorbol esters.