Introduction and Hypothesis:
Expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is decreased in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of rats with chronic heart failure (CHF), however the underlying molecular mechanism/s remain unclear. Recently, we demonstrated, Angiotensin II (Ang II) mediated increase in PIN: protein inhibitor of nNOS (0.76±0.10 Sham vs 1.12±0.09* CHF) which is known to down-regulate nNOS through disruption of active dimers (~60% decrease in dimer/monomer ratio) in the PVN of rats with CHF. Functionally impeded monomeric enzyme is degraded by ubiquitin proteasome system. Interestingly, PIN transcript levels remain unchanged in the PVN in CHF (1.00±0.23 Sham vs. 1.1±0.28 CHF). This observation prompted us to elucidate the molecular mechanism for the accumulation of PIN post-transcriptionally in the PVN in CHF
Methods and Results:
We used coronary artery ligation model of CHF in rats (6-8 weeks past ligation) and neuronal NG108-15 hybrid cell line. PIN translation was inhibited using cyclohexamide (CHX) for 0-4h after 20h of pretreatment with Ang II in NG108 cells. CHX mediated decrease in PIN expression was ameliorated with Ang II (0.19±0.04 vs 0.41±0.06* 4h). Proteasome inhibitor lactacystin (LC) treatment dramatically elevates PIN level suggesting the involvement of proteasome system in PIN regulation. Immunoprecipitation with ubiquitin antibody showed decrease PIN-Ub conjugates in Ang II-treated cells (1.04 ± 0.05 LC vs. 0.62 ± 0.07* LC AngII). In vitro ubiquitination assay in cells transfected with pCMV-(HA-Ub)8 vector revealed reduction of HA-Ub-PIN conjugates after Ang II treatment (9.2 ± 2.2 LC vs. 4.5 ± 0.6* LC Ang II). Furthermore, there was decreased accumulation of PIN-Ub conjugates in the PVN of CHF rats compared to Sham as revealed by immunohistochemistry.
Conclusions:
Taken together, our studies revealed that PIN is targeted for rapid degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and Ang II delays the rate of degradation resulting in accumulation of PIN. We conclude that post-translational accumulation of PIN, mediated by Ang II, leads to a decrease in the dimeric active form of nNOS as well as protein levels of nNOS, which may lead to reduced nitric oxide resulting in over-activation of sympathetic drive during CHF.
Angiotensin-(1-7) attenuates hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy via modulation of nitric oxide and neurotransmitter levels in the paraventricular nucleus in salt-sensitive hypertensive rats
