Amidative peptide processing and vascular function

1997 ◽  
Vol 273 (6) ◽  
pp. C1908-C1914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlie D. Oldham ◽  
Cuizhen Li ◽  
Jun Feng ◽  
Robert O. Scott ◽  
Wen Z. Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
Vascular Function ◽  
Direct Action ◽  
Sensory Nerves ◽  
Peptide Processing ◽  
Marked Inhibition ◽  
Amidated Peptide ◽  
Oxide Synthase

Substance P (SP), an amidated peptide present in many sensory nerves, is known to affect cardiovascular function, and exogenously supplied SP has been shown to activate nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in endothelial cells. We now report that SP-Gly, the glycine-extended biosynthetic precursor of SP (which is enzymatically processed to the mature amidated SP), causes relaxation of rat aortic strips with an efficacy and potency comparable to that of SP itself. Pretreatment of the aortic strips with 4-phenyl-3-butenoic acid (PBA), an irreversible amidating enzyme inactivator, results in marked inhibition of the vasodilation activity induced by SP-Gly but not of that induced by SP itself. Isolated endothelial cell basal NOS activity is also decreased by pretreatment with PBA, with no evidence of cell death or direct action of PBA on NOS activity. Both bifunctional and monofunctional forms of amidating enzymes are present in endothelial cells, as evidenced by affinity chromatography and Western blot analysis. These results provide evidence for a link between amidative peptide processing, NOS activation in endothelial cells, and vasodilation and suggest that a product of amidative processing provides intrinsic basal activation of NOS in endothelial cells.

Cell growth modulates nitric oxide synthase expression in fetal pulmonary artery endothelial cells

2000 ◽  
Vol 278 (1) ◽  
pp. L131-L138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeannette A. Whitney ◽  
Zohre German ◽  
Todd S. Sherman ◽  
Ivan S. Yuhanna ◽  
Philip W. Shaul
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Cell Growth ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Pulmonary Artery ◽  
Enzymatic Activity ◽  
Vascular Function ◽  
Enos Gene ◽  
Enos Expression ◽  
Oxide Synthase

Nitric oxide (NO), produced by endothelial (e) nitric oxide synthase (NOS), is a critical mediator of vascular function and growth in the developing lung. Pulmonary eNOS expression is diminished in conditions associated with altered pulmonary vascular development, suggesting that eNOS may be modulated by changes in pulmonary artery endothelial cell (PAEC) growth. We determined the effects of cell growth on eNOS expression in cultured ovine fetal PAEC studied at varying levels of confluence. NOS enzymatic activity was sixfold greater in quiescent PAEC at 100% confluence compared with more rapidly replicating cells at 50% confluence. To determine if there is a reciprocal effect of NO on PAEC growth, studies of NOS inhibition or the provision of exogenous NO from spermine NONOate were performed. Neither intervention had a discernable effect on PAEC growth. The influence of cell growth on NOS activity was unique to pulmonary endothelium, because varying confluence did not alter NOS activity in fetal systemic endothelial cells. The effects of cell growth induced by serum stimulation were also evaluated, and NOS enzymatic activity was threefold greater in quiescent, serum-deprived cells compared with that in serum-stimulated cells. The increase in NOS activity observed at full confluence was accompanied by parallel increases in eNOS protein and mRNA expression. These findings indicate that eNOS gene expression in fetal PAEC is upregulated during cell quiescence and downregulated during rapid cell growth. Furthermore, the interaction between cell growth and NO in the PAEC is unidirectional.

scholarly journals Endothelial dysfunction and body mass index: is there a role for plasma peroxynitrite?

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa Chikopela ◽  
Douglas C. Heimburger ◽  
Longa Kaluba ◽  
Pharaoh Hamambulu ◽  
Newton Simfukwe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Dysfunction ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Vascular Function ◽  
Aortic Ring ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Weight Groups

Abstract Background Endothelial function is dependent on the balance between vasoconstrictive and vasodilatory substances. The endothelium ability to produce nitric oxide is one of the most crucial mechanisms in regulating vascular tone. An increase in inducible nitric oxide synthase contributes to endothelial dysfunction in overweight persons, while oxidative stress contributes to the conversion of nitric oxide to peroxynitrite (measured as nitrotyrosine in vivo) in underweight persons. The objective of this study was to elucidate the interaction of body composition and oxidative stress on vascular function and peroxynitrite. This was done through an experimental design with three weight groups (underweight, normal weight and overweight), with four treatment arms in each. Plasma nitrotyrosine levels were measured 15–20 h post lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment, as were aortic ring tension changes. Acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) challenges were used to observe endothelial-dependent and endothelial-independent vascular relaxation after pre-constriction of aortic rings with phenylephrine. Results Nitrotyrosine levels in saline-treated rats were similar among the weight groups. There was a significant increase in nitrotyrosine levels between saline-treated rats and those treated with the highest lipopolysaccharide doses in each of the weight groups. In response to ACh challenge, Rmax (percentage reduction in aortic tension) was lowest in overweight rats (112%). In response to SNP, there was an insignificantly lower Rmax in the underweight rats (106%) compared to the normal weight rats (112%). Overweight rats had a significant decrease in Rmax (83%) in response to SNP, signifying involvement of a more chronic process in tension reduction changes. A lower Rmax accompanied an increase in peroxynitrite after acetylcholine challenge in all weight groups. Conclusions Endothelial dysfunction, observed as an impairment in the ability to reduce tension, is associated with increased plasma peroxynitrite levels across the spectrum of body mass. In higher-BMI rats, an additional role is played by vascular smooth muscle in the causation of endothelial dysfunction.

Interrelation between nitric oxide synthase and heme oxygenase in rat endothelial cells

1997 ◽  
Vol 331 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshirou Seki ◽  
Mitsuhide Naruse ◽  
Kiyoko Naruse ◽  
Takanobu Yoshimoto ◽  
Akiyo Tanabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Heme Oxygenase ◽  
Oxide Synthase

scholarly journals Rho GTPase/Rho Kinase Negatively Regulates Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Phosphorylation through the Inhibition of Protein Kinase B/Akt in Human Endothelial Cells

2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (24) ◽  
pp. 8467-8477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiu-Fen Ming ◽  
Hema Viswambharan ◽  
Christine Barandier ◽  
Jean Ruffieux ◽  
Kozo Kaibuchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Rho Gtpase ◽  
Protein Kinase B ◽  
Rho Kinase ◽  
Enos Expression ◽  
Enos Phosphorylation ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide

ABSTRACT Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is an important regulator of cardiovascular homeostasis by production of nitric oxide (NO) from vascular endothelial cells. It can be activated by protein kinase B (PKB)/Akt via phosphorylation at Ser-1177. We are interested in the role of Rho GTPase/Rho kinase (ROCK) pathway in regulation of eNOS expression and activation. Using adenovirus-mediated gene transfer in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), we show here that both active RhoA and ROCK not only downregulate eNOS gene expression as reported previously but also inhibit eNOS phosphorylation at Ser-1177 and cellular NO production with concomitant suppression of PKB activation. Moreover, coexpression of a constitutive active form of PKB restores the phosphorylation but not gene expression of eNOS in the presence of active RhoA. Furthermore, we show that thrombin inhibits eNOS phosphorylation, as well as expression via Rho/ROCK pathway. Expression of the active PKB reverses eNOS phosphorylation but has no effect on downregulation of eNOS expression induced by thrombin. Taken together, these data demonstrate that Rho/ROCK pathway negatively regulates eNOS phosphorylation through inhibition of PKB, whereas it downregulates eNOS expression independent of PKB.

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