EXPRESSION AND FUNCTION OF UTROPHIN ASSOCIATED PROTEIN COMPLEX IN STRETCHED HUVECs; DISSOCIATION AND ACTIVATION OF eNOS

Several studies have emphasized the importance of dystrophin‐associated protein complex (DAPC) to maintain the vascular function in development of dilated cardiomyopathy in dystrophyc patients has been shown. Previously we postulated the presence of an utrophin associated protein complex (UAPC) in endothelium from umbilical cord vessels. In this work, we demonstrate that utrophin indeed forms a complex, with beta‐dystroglycan, epsilon sarcoglycan, caveolin‐1, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, by co‐immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis. Additionally, we observed an increment in the levels of all proteins of complex after mechanical stretching. Interestingly, this stimulus also induced eNOS up‐regulation, activation and release from the UAPC and led to a significant increase in nitric oxide production. Finally, we propose that UAPC in HUVECs may play an important role in the regulation of vascular tone during mechanical stress. CONACyT 39542‐Q, 144593