Does angiopoietin-1 mediate inhibition of hypertension-induced release of angiopoietin-2 from endothelial cells?
Collectively, these results indicate that increased WS or stretch facilitates the release of Ang-2 from endothelial cell Weibel-Palade bodies, and that Ang-1 can block this by attenuating the stretch-mediated rise in intracellular calcium.
Norepinephrine stimulation directly modulates BPH-derived prostatic stromal cells toward a differentiated smooth-muscle phenotype as evidenced by increased expression of cytoskeletal proteins. The effect of norepinephrine on cultures is cell-density-dependent, suggesting that intercellular communication is an important factor in coordinating the differentiation responses. This study has revealed a specific interaction between physical and humoral stimuli, which influences in part the phenotype of prostatic stromal cells. Such interaction is likely to determine the development of clinical BPH, and also the response of any individuals following therapeutic intervention using selective alpha-adrenergic blockade.