scholarly journals Displacement-encoded and manganese-enhanced cardiac MRI reveal that nNOS, not eNOS, plays a dominant role in modulating contraction and calcium influx in the mammalian heart

2012 ◽  
Vol 302 (2) ◽  
pp. H412-H419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moriel H. Vandsburger ◽  
Brent A. French ◽  
Christopher M. Kramer ◽  
Xiaodong Zhong ◽  
Frederick H. Epstein
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Cardiac Mri ◽  
Calcium Influx ◽  
Contractile Function ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
Contractile Reserve ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide

Within cardiomyocytes, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) are thought to modulate L-type calcium channel (LTCC) function and sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium cycling, respectively. However, divergent results from mostly invasive prior studies suggest more complex roles. To elucidate the roles of nNOS and eNOS in vivo, we applied noninvasive cardiac MRI to study wild-type (WT), eNOS−/−, and nNOS−/− mice. An in vivo index of LTCC flux (LTCCI) was measured at baseline (Bsl), dobutamine (Dob), and dobutamine + carbacholamine (Dob + CCh) using manganese-enhanced MRI. Displacement-encoded MRI assessed contractile function by measuring circumferential strain (Ecc) and systolic (dEcc/dt) and diastolic (dEcc/dtdiastolic) strain rates at Bsl, Dob, and Dob + CCh. Bsl LTCCI was highest in nNOS−/− mice ( P < 0.05 vs. WT and eNOS−/−) and increased only in WT and eNOS−/− mice with Dob ( P < 0.05 vs. Bsl). LTCCI decreased significantly from Dob levels with Dob + CCh in all mice. Contractile function, as assessed by Ecc, was similar in all mice at Bsl. With Dob, Ecc increased significantly in WT and eNOS−/− but not nNOS−/− mice ( P < 0.05 vs. WT and eNOS−/−). With Dob + CCh, Ecc returned to baseline levels in all mice. Systolic blood pressure, measured via tail plethysmography, was highest in eNOS−/− mice ( P < 0.05 vs. WT and nNOS−/−). Mice deficient in nNOS demonstrate increased Bsl LTCC function and an attenuated contractile reserve to Dob, whereas eNOS−/− mice demonstrate normal LTCC and contractile function under all conditions. These results suggest that nNOS, not eNOS, plays the dominant role in modulating Ca2+ cycling in the heart.

Increasing dihydrobiopterin causes dysfunction of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in rats in vivo

2011 ◽  
Vol 301 (3) ◽  
pp. H721-H729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsuhiko Noguchi ◽  
Naobumi Hamadate ◽  
Toshihiro Matsuzaki ◽  
Mayuko Sakanashi ◽  
Junko Nakasone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Enos Uncoupling ◽  
Nos Inhibitor ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide ◽  
First Time

An elevation of oxidized forms of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), especially dihydrobiopterin (BH2), has been reported in the setting of oxidative stress, such as arteriosclerotic/atherosclerotic disorders, where endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is dysfunctional, but the role of BH2 in the regulation of eNOS activity in vivo remains to be evaluated. This study was designed to clarify whether increasing BH2 concentration causes endothelial dysfunction in rats. To increase vascular BH2 levels, the BH2 precursor sepiapterin (SEP) was intravenously given after the administration of the specific dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor methotrexate (MTX) to block intracellular conversion of BH2 to BH4. MTX/SEP treatment did not significantly affect aortic BH4 levels compared with control treatment. However, MTX/SEP treatment markedly augmented aortic BH2 levels (291.1 ± 29.2 vs. 33.4 ± 6.4 pmol/g, P < 0.01) in association with moderate hypertension. Treatment with MTX alone did not significantly alter blood pressure or BH4 levels but decreased the BH4-to-BH2 ratio. Treatment with MTX/SEP, but not with MTX alone, impaired ACh-induced vasodilator and depressor responses compared with the control treatment (both P < 0.05) and also aggravated ACh-induced endothelium-dependent relaxations ( P < 0.05) of isolated aortas without affecting sodium nitroprusside-induced endothelium-independent relaxations. Importantly, MTX/SEP treatment significantly enhanced aortic superoxide production, which was diminished by NOS inhibitor treatment, and the impaired ACh-induced relaxations were reversed with SOD ( P < 0.05), suggesting the involvement of eNOS uncoupling. These results indicate, for the first time, that increasing BH2 causes eNOS dysfunction in vivo even in the absence of BH4 deficiency, demonstrating a novel insight into the regulation of endothelial function.

scholarly journals The Key Role of Caveolin-1 in Estrogen-Mediated Regulation of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Function in Cerebral Arterioles In vivo

2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 907-913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao-Liang Xu ◽  
Elena Galea ◽  
Roberto A. Santizo ◽  
Verna L. Baughman ◽  
Dale A. Pelligrino
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Functional Activity ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Down Regulation ◽  
Caveolin 1 ◽  
Cerebral Arterioles ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide

The marked impairment in cerebrovascular endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) function that develops after ovariectomy may relate to the observation that the abundance of cerebral vascular eNOS and its endogenous inhibitor, caveolin-1, vary in opposite directions with chronic changes in estrogen status. The authors endeavored, therefore, to establish a link between these correlative findings by independently manipulating, in ovariectomized female rats, eNOS and caveolin-1 expression, while monitoring agonist (acetylcholine)-stimulated eNOS functional activity. In the current study, the authors showed that individually neither the up-regulation of eNOS (through simvastatin treatment), nor the down-regulation of caveolin-1 (through antisense oligonucleotide administration) is capable of restoring eNOS function in pial arterioles in vivo in these estrogen-depleted rats. Only when eNOS up-regulation and caveolin-1 down-regulation are combined is activity normalized. These results establish a mechanistic link between the estrogen-associated divergent changes in the abundance of caveolin-1 and eNOS protein and eNOS functional activity in cerebral arterioles.

scholarly journals Can endothelial hemoglobin-α regulate nitric oxide vasodilatory signaling?

2017 ◽  
Vol 312 (4) ◽  
pp. H854-H866 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaimit Parikh ◽  
Adam Kapela ◽  
Nikolaos M. Tsoukias
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Modeling ◽  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Cellular Models ◽  
No Signaling ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide

We used mathematical modeling to investigate nitric oxide (NO)-dependent vasodilatory signaling in the arteriolar wall. Detailed continuum cellular models of calcium (Ca2+) dynamics and membrane electrophysiology in smooth muscle and endothelial cells (EC) were coupled with models of NO signaling and biotransport in an arteriole. We used this theoretical approach to examine the role of endothelial hemoglobin-α (Hbα) as a modulator of NO-mediated myoendothelial feedback, as previously suggested in Straub et al. ( Nature 491: 473–477, 2012). The model considers enriched expression of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptors (IP3Rs), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) enzyme, Ca2+-activated potassium (KCa) channels and Hbα in myoendothelial projections (MPs) between the two cell layers. The model suggests that NO-mediated myoendothelial feedback is plausible if a significant percentage of eNOS is localized within or near the myoendothelial projection. Model results show that the ability of Hbα to regulate the myoendothelial feedback is conditional to its colocalization with eNOS near MPs at concentrations in the high nanomolar range (>0.2 μM or 24,000 molecules). Simulations also show that the effect of Hbα observed in in vitro experimental studies may overestimate its contribution in vivo, in the presence of blood perfusion. Thus, additional experimentation is required to quantify the presence and spatial distribution of Hbα in the EC, as well as to test that the strong effect of Hbα on NO signaling seen in vitro, translates also into a physiologically relevant response in vivo. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Mathematical modeling shows that although regulation of nitric oxide signaling by hemoglobin-α (Hbα) is plausible, it is conditional to its presence in significant concentrations colocalized with endothelial nitric oxide synthase in myoendothelial projections. Additional experimentation is required to test that the strong effect of Hbα seen in vitro translates into a physiologically relevant response in vivo

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