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Figure 8 | Respiratory Research

Figure 8

From: Role of contractile prostaglandins and Rho-kinase in growth factor-induced airway smooth muscle contraction

Figure 8

Putative mechanism of growth factor-induced airway smooth muscle contraction. Growth factors, like EGF and PDGF, bind to their receptors with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity (RTK) and activate MAPK, which may result in increased levels of arachidonic acid (AA) via cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) activation. As a consequence of cyclooxygenase (COX)-mediated conversion of AA, prostaglandins (PGs) are produced. These (contractile) prostaglandins, like PGF2α and PGE2, may in turn couple to their receptors and induce an airway smooth muscle contraction which is largely dependent on Rho-kinase. U-0126, indomethacin (indo) and Y-27632 are inhibitors of MAPK, COX and Rho-kinase, respectively.

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