L‐Citrulline Inhibits Chronic Hypoxia‐Induced Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborn Piglets

Aberrant interactions between heat shock protein (Hsp)90 and its client proteins could contribute to pulmonary hypertension. We tested the hypotheses that 1) the interaction between Hsp90 and its known client protein, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), is impaired in pulmonary resistance arteries (PRAs) from piglets with pulmonary hypertension caused by exposure to 3 or 10 days of hypoxia and 2) Hsp90 interacts with the prostanoid pathway proteins prostacyclin synthase (PGIS) and/or thromboxane synthase (TXAS). We also determined whether Hsp90 antagonism with geldanamycin alters the agonist-induced synthesis of prostacyclin and thromboxane or alters PRA responses to these prostaglandin metabolites. Compared with normoxic piglets, less eNOS coimmunoprecipitated with Hsp90 in PRAs from hypoxic piglets. Despite reduced Hsp90-eNOS interactions, dilation to ACh was enhanced in geldanamycin-treated PRAs from hypoxic, but not normoxic, piglets. In PRAs from all groups of piglets, PGIS and TXAS coimmunoprecipitated with Hsp90. Geldanamycin reduced the ACh-induced synthesis of prostacyclin and thromboxane and altered responses to the thromboxane mimetic U-46619 in PRAs from all groups. Although geldanamycin enhanced responses to prostacyclin in PRAs from both groups of hypoxic piglets, geldanamycin had no effect on prostacyclin responses in PRAs from either group of normoxic piglets. Our findings indicate that Hsp90 influences both prostanoid and eNOS signaling in the pulmonary circulation of newborn piglets and that the impact of pharmacological inhibition of Hsp90 on these signaling pathways is altered during exposure to chronic hypoxia.

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Tetrahydrobiopterin oral therapy recouples eNOS and ameliorates chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in newborn pigs

AJP Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajplung.00238.2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 311 (4) ◽

pp. L743-L753 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Anna Dikalova ◽

Judy L. Aschner ◽

Mark R. Kaplowitz ◽

Marshall Summar ◽

Candice D. Fike

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Hypertension ◽

Chronic Hypoxia ◽

Disease Onset ◽

Pulmonary Arteries ◽

Pulmonary Vasculature ◽

Hypoxic Exposure ◽

No Production ◽

Major Purpose ◽

Newborn Piglets ◽

Enos Uncoupling

We previously showed that newborn piglets who develop pulmonary hypertension during exposure to chronic hypoxia have diminished pulmonary vascular nitric oxide (NO) production and evidence of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) uncoupling (Fike CD, Dikalova A, Kaplowitz MR, Cunningham G, Summar M, Aschner JL. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 53: 255–264, 2015). Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is a cofactor that promotes eNOS coupling. Current clinical strategies typically invoke initiating treatment after the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension, rather than prophylactically. The major purpose of this study was to determine whether starting treatment with an oral BH4 compound, sapropterin dihydrochloride (sapropterin), after the onset of pulmonary hypertension would recouple eNOS in the pulmonary vasculature and ameliorate disease progression in chronically hypoxic piglets. Normoxic (control) and hypoxic piglets were studied. Some hypoxic piglets received oral sapropterin starting on day 3 of hypoxia and continued throughout an additional 7 days of hypoxic exposure. Catheters were placed for hemodynamic measurements, and pulmonary arteries were dissected to assess eNOS dimer-to-monomer ratios (a measure of eNOS coupling), NO production, and superoxide (O2·−) generation. Although higher than in normoxic controls, pulmonary vascular resistance was lower in sapropterin-treated hypoxic piglets than in untreated hypoxic piglets. Consistent with eNOS recoupling, eNOS dimer-to-monomer ratios and NO production were greater and O2·− generation was less in pulmonary arteries from sapropterin-treated than untreated hypoxic animals. When started after disease onset, oral sapropterin treatment inhibits chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension at least in part by recoupling eNOS in the pulmonary vasculature of newborn piglets. Rescue treatment with sapropterin may be an effective strategy to inhibit further development of pulmonary hypertension in newborn infants suffering from chronic cardiopulmonary conditions associated with episodes of prolonged hypoxia.

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l-Citrulline ameliorates chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in newborn piglets

AJP Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajplung.00017.2009 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 297 (3) ◽

pp. L506-L511 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

Madhumita Ananthakrishnan ◽

Frederick E. Barr ◽

Marshall L. Summar ◽

Heidi A. Smith ◽

Mark Kaplowitz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Hypertension ◽

Chronic Hypoxia ◽

Vascular Endothelial Cells ◽

No Production ◽

Nitrate Accumulation ◽

Newborn Piglets ◽

Pulmonary Vascular Endothelium ◽

Isolated Lungs ◽

Nitrite Nitrate

Newborn piglets develop pulmonary hypertension and have diminished pulmonary vascular nitric oxide (NO) production when exposed to chronic hypoxia. NO is produced by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) in the pulmonary vascular endothelium using l-arginine as a substrate and producing l-citrulline as a byproduct. l-Citrulline is metabolized to l-arginine by two enzymes that are colocated with eNOS in pulmonary vascular endothelial cells. The purpose of this study was to determine whether oral supplementation with l-citrulline during exposure of newborn piglets to 10 days of chronic hypoxia would prevent the development of pulmonary hypertension and increase pulmonary NO production. A total of 17 hypoxic and 17 normoxic control piglets were studied. Six of the 17 hypoxic piglets were supplemented with oral l-citrulline starting on the first day of hypoxia. l-Citrulline supplementation was provided orally twice a day. After 10 days of hypoxia or normoxia, the animals were anesthetized, hemodynamic measurements were performed, and the lungs were perfused in situ. Pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance were significantly lower in hypoxic animals treated with l-citrulline compared with untreated hypoxic animals ( P < 0.001). In vivo exhaled NO production ( P = 0.03) and nitrite/nitrate accumulation in the perfusate of isolated lungs ( P = 0.04) were significantly higher in l-citrulline-treated hypoxic animals compared with untreated hypoxic animals. l-Citrulline supplementation ameliorated the development of pulmonary hypertension and increased NO production in piglets exposed to chronic hypoxia. We speculate that l-citrulline may benefit neonates exposed to prolonged periods of hypoxia from cardiac or pulmonary causes.

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NADPH oxidases and reactive oxygen species at different stages of chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in newborn piglets

AJP Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajplung.90568.2008 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 297 (4) ◽

pp. L596-L607 ◽

Cited By ~ 70

Author(s):

Kathleen E. Dennis ◽

J. L. Aschner ◽

D. Milatovic ◽

J. W. Schmidt ◽

M. Aschner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reactive Oxygen Species ◽

Pulmonary Hypertension ◽

Chronic Hypoxia ◽

Oxidant Stress ◽

Reactive Oxygen ◽

Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽

Oxygen Species ◽

Resistance Arteries ◽

Newborn Piglets ◽

Air Control

Recently, we reported that reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by NADPH oxidase (NOX) contribute to aberrant responses in pulmonary resistance arteries (PRAs) of piglets exposed to 3 days of hypoxia ( Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 295: L881–L888, 2008). An objective of the present study was to determine whether NOX-derived ROS also contribute to altered PRA responses at a more advanced stage of pulmonary hypertension, after 10 days of hypoxia. We further wished to advance knowledge about the specific NOX and antioxidant enzymes that are altered at early and later stages of pulmonary hypertension. Piglets were raised in room air (control) or hypoxia for 3 or 10 days. Using a cannulated artery technique, we found that treatments with agents that inhibit NOX (apocynin) or remove ROS [an SOD mimetic (M40403) + polyethylene glycol-catalase] diminished responses to ACh in PRAs from piglets exposed to 10 days of hypoxia. Western blot analysis showed an increase in expression of NOX1 and the membrane fraction of p67phox. Expression of NOX4, SOD2, and catalase were unchanged, whereas expression of SOD1 was reduced, in arteries from piglets raised in hypoxia for 3 or 10 days. Markers of oxidant stress, F2-isoprostanes, measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, were increased in PRAs from piglets raised in hypoxia for 3 days, but not 10 days. We conclude that ROS derived from some, but not all, NOX family members, as well as alterations in the antioxidant enzyme SOD1, contribute to aberrant PRA responses at an early and a more progressive stage of chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in newborn piglets.

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