ETA receptor mediates the signaling of endothelin-1 in osteoblast-like cells

We previously reported that endothelin-1 (ET-1) stimulates phosphatidylcholine-hydrolyzing phospholipase D independently of phosphoinositide hydrolysis in osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells. In the present study, we investigated the characteristics of the receptors mediating ET-1-induced intracellular signaling pathway in MC3T3-E1 cells. Cyclo- -Trp- -Asp-Pro- -Val-Leu (BQ123), a selective ETA receptor antagonist, significantly inhibited the ET-1-induced formation of inositol phosphates in a dose-dependent manner in the range between 22 nmol/L (IC50) and 2.2 μmol/L (IC50 × 100). On the contrary, N-cis-2,6-dimethylpiperidinocarbonyl- -γMeLeu- -Trp(COOMe)- -Nle-ONa (BQ788), a selective ETB receptor antagonist, had no effect on the ET-1-induced formation of inositol phosphates in the range between 1.2 nmol/L (IC50) and 120 nmol/L (IC50 × 100). BQ123 significantly suppressed the ET-1-induced formation of choline dose-dependently, however, BQ788 did not affect the choline formation. BQ123 also inhibited the ET-1-induced release of arachidonic acid, but BQ788 had little effect. The results strongly suggest that ETA receptor mediates the three intracellular signaling pathways of ET-1: (1) phosphoinositide hydrolysis by phospholipase C; (2) phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis by phospholipase D; and (3) arachidonic acid release in osteoblast-like cells.