scholarly journals Sepiapterin improves angiogenesis of pulmonary artery endothelial cells with in utero pulmonary hypertension by recoupling endothelial nitric oxide synthase

2011 ◽  
Vol 301 (3) ◽  
pp. L334-L345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ru-Jeng Teng ◽  
Jianhai Du ◽  
Hao Xu ◽  
Ivane Bakhutashvili ◽  
Annie Eis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Pulmonary Hypertension ◽  
Pulmonary Artery ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
No Production ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Dimer Formation ◽  
Enos Activity ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is associated with decreased blood vessel density that contributes to increased pulmonary vascular resistance. Previous studies showed that uncoupled endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) activity and increased NADPH oxidase activity resulted in marked decreases in NO bioavailability and impaired angiogenesis in PPHN. In the present study, we hypothesize that loss of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), a critical cofactor for eNOS, induces uncoupled eNOS activity and impairs angiogenesis in PPHN. Pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC) isolated from fetal lambs with PPHN (HTFL-PAEC) or control lambs (NFL-PAEC) were used to investigate the cellular mechanisms impairing angiogenesis in PPHN. Cellular mechanisms were examined with respect to BH4 levels, GTP-cyclohydrolase-1 (GCH-1) expression, eNOS dimer formation, and eNOS-heat shock protein 90 (hsp90) interactions under basal conditions and after sepiapterin (Sep) supplementation. Cellular levels of BH4, GCH-1 expression, and eNOS dimer formation were decreased in HTFL-PAEC compared with NFL-PAEC. Sep supplementation decreased apoptosis and increased in vitro angiogenesis in HTFL-PAEC and ex vivo pulmonary artery sprouting angiogenesis. Sep also increased cellular BH4 content, NO production, eNOS dimer formation, and eNOS-hsp90 association and decreased the superoxide formation in HTFL-PAEC. These data demonstrate that Sep improves NO production and angiogenic potential of HTFL-PAEC by recoupling eNOS activity. Increasing BH4 levels via Sep supplementation may be an important therapy for improving eNOS function and restoring angiogenesis in PPHN.

scholarly journals High glucose-induced IKK-Hsp-90 interaction contributes to endothelial dysfunction

2009 ◽  
Vol 296 (1) ◽  
pp. C182-C192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumathy Mohan ◽  
Ryszard Konopinski ◽  
Bo Yan ◽  
Victoria E. Centonze ◽  
Mohan Natarajan
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Endothelial Dysfunction ◽  
High Glucose ◽  
Vascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Heat Shock Protein 90 ◽  
No Production ◽  
Enos Activity ◽  
Hsp 90 ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide

A decline in the bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) that causes endothelial dysfunction is a hallmark of diabetes. The availability of NO to the vasculature is regulated by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity and the involvement of heat shock protein-90 (Hsp-90) in the regulation of eNOS activity has been demonstrated. Hsp-90 has been shown to interact with upstream kinases [inhibitor κB kinases (IKK)α, β, and γ] in nonvascular cells. In this study, we have investigated the interaction of Hsp-90-IKKβ in endothelial cells under conditions of high glucose (HG) as a possible mechanism that diminishes Hsp-90-eNOS interaction, which could contribute to reduced bioavailability of NO. We report for the first time that IKKβ interacts with Hsp-90, and this interaction is augmented by HG in vascular endothelial cells. HG also augments transcriptional (3.5 ± 0.65-fold) and translational (1.97 ± 0.17-fold) expression as well as the catalytic activity of IKKβ (2.45 ± 0.4-fold). Both IKKβ and eNOS could be coimmunoprecipitated with Hsp-90. Inhibition of Hsp-90 with geldanamycin (2 μM) or Radicicol (20 μM) mitigated (0.45 ± 0.04-fold and 0.93 ± 0.16-fold, respectively) HG induced-IKKβ activity (2.5 ± 0.42-fold). Blocking of IKKβ expression by IKK inhibitor II (15 μM wedelolactone) or small interferring RNA (siRNA) improved Hsp-90-eNOS interaction and NO production under conditions of HG. These results illuminate a possible mechanism for the declining eNOS activity reported under conditions of HG.

Abstract 3635: Inhibition of Inhibitor Kappa B Kinase Beta Augments Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Activity and Nitric Oxide Production in Aortic Endothelial Cells

Circulation ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 118 (suppl_18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumathy Mohan ◽  
Ryzard Konopinski ◽  
Mohan Natarajan
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Vascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
No Production ◽  
Enos Activity ◽  
Hsp 90 ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide

A decline in the bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) that causes endothelial dysfunction is a hall-mark of diabetes. The availability of NO to the vasculature is regulated by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity and the involvement of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp-90) in the regulation of eNOS activity has been demonstrated. Hsp-90 has been shown to interact with upstream kinases (inhibitor kappa B kinases α, β and γ) in non-vascular cells. In this study, we have investigated the interaction of Hsp-90-IKKβ in endothelial cells under conditions of high glucose (HG) as a possible mechanism that diminishes Hsp-90-eNOS interaction, which could contribute to reduced bioavailability of NO. We report for the first time that IKKβ interacts with Hsp-90 and this interaction is augmented by HG in vascular endothelial cells. HG also augments transcriptional (4.02 ± 0.81-folds) and translational (1.97 ± 0.17-fold) expression as well as the catalytic activity of IKKβ (2.04 ± 0.06-folds). Another important and novel finding is that both IKKβ and eNOS could be co-immunoprecipitated with Hsp-90 (Figures A & B ) thus indicating the possible existence of a complex of IKKβ and eNOS interacting with single pool of Hsp-90. Inhibition of Hsp-90 with geldanamycin (2μM) or Radicicol (20μM) mitigated (0.45 ± 0.04 -fold and 0.93 ± 0.16-fold, respectively) HG induced-IKKβ activity (2.5 ± 0.416-fold). Blocking of IKKβ expression by IKK inhibitor II (15μM wedelolactone) or siRNA improved Hsp-90-eNOS interaction and NO production under conditions of HG. These results illuminate a possible mechanism for the declining eNOS activity reported under conditions of HG.

Microtubule-active agents modify nitric oxide production in pulmonary artery endothelial cells

2002 ◽  
Vol 282 (6) ◽  
pp. L1183-L1189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunchao Su ◽  
Sergei I. Zharikov ◽  
Edward R. Block
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Pulmonary Artery ◽  
Culture Medium ◽  
Hsp90 Inhibitor ◽  
No Production ◽  
Enos Activity ◽  
Tubulin Protein ◽  
Hsp 90 ◽  
Enos Protein

The effects of specific microtubule-active agents on nitric oxide (NO) production were examined in pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC). PAEC were incubated with taxol, which stabilizes microtubules, or nocodazole, which disrupts microtubules, or both for 2–4 h. We then examined NO production, endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) activity, and eNOS association with heat shock protein (HSP) 90. Incubation of PAEC with taxol (15 μM) for 2–4 h resulted in an increase in NO production, eNOS activity, and the amount of HSP90 binding to eNOS. Incubation of PAEC with nocodazole (50 μM) for 2–4 h induced a decrease in NO production, eNOS activity, and the amount of HSP90 binding to eNOS. The presence of taxol in the culture medium prevented the effects of nocodazole on NO production and eNOS activity in PAEC. Geldanamycin, a HSP90 inhibitor, prevented the taxol-induced increase in eNOS activity. Taxol and nocodazole did not affect eNOS, HSP90, and tubulin protein contents in PAEC, as detected using Western blot analysis. These results indicate that the polymerization state of the microtubule cytoskeleton regulates NO production and eNOS activity in PAEC. The changes in eNOS activity induced by modification of microtubules are due, at least in part, to the altered binding of HSP90 to eNOS protein.

Roles of accumulated endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, enhanced arginase activity, and attenuated nitric oxide synthase activity in endothelial cells for pulmonary hypertension in rats

2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (6) ◽  
pp. L1480-L1487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihito Sasaki ◽  
Shouzaburoh Doi ◽  
Shuki Mizutani ◽  
Hiroshi Azuma
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Pulmonary Hypertension ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Pulmonary Artery ◽  
Protein Expression ◽  
No Production ◽  
Nos Inhibitors ◽  
Endogenous Nitric Oxide ◽  
Oxide Synthase

Nitric oxide (NO) has been suggested to play a key role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension (PH). To determine which mechanism exists to affect NO production, we examined the concentration of endogenous nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors and their catabolizing enzyme dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) activity and protein expression (DDAH1 and DDAH2) in pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) of rats given monocrotaline (MCT). We also measured NOS and arginase activities and NOS protein expression. Twenty-four days after MCT administration, PH and right ventricle (RV) hypertrophy were established. Endothelium-dependent, but not endothelium-independent, relaxation and cGMP production were significantly impaired in pulmonary artery specimens of MCT group. The constitutive NOS activity and protein expression in PAECs were significantly reduced in MCT group, whereas the arginase, which shares l-arginine as a common substrate with NOS, activity was significantly enhanced in PAECs of MCT group. The contents of monomethylarginine (MMA) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), but not symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), were increased in PAECs of MCT group. The DDAH activity and DDAH1, but not DDAH2, protein expression were significantly reduced in PAECs of MCT group. These results suggest that the impairment of cGMP production as a marker of NO production is possibly due to the blunted endothelial NOS activity resulting from the downregulation of endothelial NOS protein, accumulation of endogenous NOS inhibitors, and accelerated arginase activity in PAECs of PH rats. The decreased overall DDAH activity accompanied by the downregulation of DDAH1 would bring about the accumulation of endogenous NOS inhibitors.

Effects of homocysteine on endothelial nitric oxide production

2000 ◽  
Vol 279 (4) ◽  
pp. F671-F678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohui Zhang ◽  
Hong Li ◽  
Haoli Jin ◽  
Zachary Ebin ◽  
Sergey Brodsky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Redox State ◽  
Calcium Ionophore ◽  
No Production ◽  
Cellular Redox ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide ◽  
Peroxynitrite Scavengers

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCy) is an independent and graded cardiovascular risk factor. HHCy is prevalent in patients with chronic renal failure, contributing to the increased mortality rate. Controversy exists as to the effects of HHCy on nitric oxide (NO) production: it has been shown that HHCy both increases and suppresses it. We addressed this problem by using amperometric electrochemical NO detection with a porphyrinic microelectrode to study responses of endothelial cells incubated with homocysteine (Hcy) to the stimulation with bradykinin, calcium ionophore, or l-arginine. Twenty-four-hour preincubation with Hcy (10, 20, and 50 μM) resulted in a gradual decline in responsiveness of endothelial cells to the above stimuli. Hcy did not affect the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), but it stimulated formation of superoxide anions, as judged by fluorescence of dichlorofluorescein, and peroxynitrite, as detected by using immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting of proteins modified by tyrosine nitration. Hcy did not directly affect the ability of recombinant eNOS to generate NO, but oxidation of sulfhydryl groups in eNOS reduced its NO-generating activity. Addition of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate restored NO responses to all agonists tested but affected neither the expression of the enzyme nor formation of nitrotyrosine-modified proteins. In addition, a scavenger of peroxynitrite or a cell-permeant superoxide dismutase mimetic reversed the Hcy-induced suppression of NO production by endothelial cells. In conclusion, electrochemical detection of NO release from cultured endothelial cells demonstrated that concentrations of Hcy >20 μM produce a significant indirect suppression of eNOS activity without any discernible effects on its expression. Folates, superoxide ions, and peroxynitrite scavengers restore the NO-generating activity to eNOS, collectively suggesting that cellular redox state plays an important role in HCy-suppressed NO-generating function of this enzyme.

scholarly journals Cilostazol Induces eNOS and TM Expression via Activation with Sirtuin 1/Krüppel-like Factor 2 Pathway in Endothelial Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (19) ◽  
pp. 10287
Author(s):  
Chih-Hsien Wu ◽  
Yi-Lin Chiu ◽  
Chung-Yueh Hsieh ◽  
Guo-Shiang Tsung ◽  
Lian-Shan Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Umbilical Vein ◽  
Sirtuin 1 ◽  
No Production ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide

Cilostazol was suggested to be beneficial to retard in-stent atherosclerosis and prevent stent thrombosis. However, the mechanisms responsible for the beneficial effects of cilostazol are not fully understood. In this study, we attempted to verify the mechanism of the antithrombotic effect of cilostazol. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured with various concentrations of cilostazol to verify its impact on endothelial cells. KLF2, silent information regulator transcript-1 (SIRT1), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and endothelial thrombomodulin (TM) expression levels were examined. We found cilostazol significantly activated KLF2 expression and KLF2-related endothelial function, including eNOS activation, Nitric oxide (NO) production, and TM secretion. The activation was regulated by SIRT1, which was also stimulated by cilostazol. These findings suggest that cilostazol may be capable of an antithrombotic and vasculoprotective effect in endothelial cells.

scholarly journals Estimation of nitric oxide generation by endothelial cells EA.hy926 under flow-induced mechanical stress in a microfluidic system

2020 ◽  
pp. 71-77
Author(s):  
А.А. Московцев ◽  
А.Н. Мыльникова ◽  
Д.В. Колесов ◽  
А.А. Микрюкова ◽  
Д.М. Зайченко ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Mechanical Stress ◽  
Microfluidic System ◽  
Hydrodynamic Characteristics ◽  
No Production ◽  
Hydrodynamic Conditions ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Vascular Walls

Эндотелиальные клетки, выстилающие стенки сосудов, преобразовывают деформацию собственных структур, вызванную током крови, в химические сигналы, одним из которых является важный регулятор просвета сосуда - оксид азота (NO). К настоящему моменту накоплен большой объём данных о клеточных механизмах активации продукции NO, однако сведений о динамике генерации оксида азота эндотелиальными клетками в зависимости от гидродинамических условий недостаточно. В этой связи разработка микрофлюидных систем in vitro, имитирующих кровеносное русло, и изучение в них эндотелия в сложных гидродинамических условиях является актуальной задачей. В данной работе для создания контролируемых гидродинамических условий для монослоя эндотелиоцитоподобных клеток EA.hy926 была спроектирована и разработана микрофлюидная система, имитирующая линейные участки микрососудистого русла. Методом непрямого определения содержания оксида азота (II) NO с использованием флуоресцентного зонда 4,5-диаминофлуоресцеина DAF-2 впервые получены данные об увеличении продукции NO клетками EA.hy926 при механическом стрессе, создаваемом потоком ростовой среды. Представлены расчетные гидродинамические характеристики микрофлюидной системы, а также методика измерения продукции NO. Возможность исследования функциональной активности эндотелия позволяет использовать разработанную микрофлюидную модельную систему как для изучения клеточно-автономных регуляторных свойств эндотелия при действии ряда вазоактивных фармакологических препаратов и других методов воздействия на эндотелий, так и при моделируемой дисфункции эндотелия. Endothelial cells lining vascular walls transform the flow-induced deformation of their own structures into chemical signals, one of which, nitric oxide (NO), is an important regulator of the vascular lumen diameter. By present, a large amount of data on cellular mechanisms for activation of NO production has been accumulated. However, there is insufficient information on changes in endothelial NO generation under different hydrodynamic conditions. Therefore, development of microfluidic systems that model blood vessels in vitro and using them to study the endothelium under complex hydrodynamic conditions are relevant tasks. In this study, a microfluidic system was developed to create controlled hydrodynamic conditions for a monolayer of endotheliocyte-like cells EAhy.926. This system simulates linear sections of the microvasculature. By indirect measurement of NO (II) content with a fluorescent 4,5-diaminofluorescein (DAF-2) probe, we showed an increase in the NO production by EAhy.926 cells under mechanical stress generated by the medium flow. The article presents the method for measuring NO production and the calculated hydrodynamic characteristics of the microfluidic system. The results showed that the developed microfluidic model system is promising for studying cell-autonomous regulatory properties of the endothelium both under the action of vasoactive agents and in simulated endothelial dysfunction.

Laminar Flow on Endothelial Cells Suppresses eNOS O-GlcNAcylation to Promote eNOS Activity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Basehore ◽  
Samantha Bohlman ◽  
Callie Weber ◽  
Swathi Swaminathan ◽  
Yuji Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Shear Stress ◽  
Laminar Flow ◽  
No Production ◽  
Disturbed Flow ◽  
Enos Activity ◽  
Enos Phosphorylation ◽  
Steady Laminar ◽  
In Cells

Rationale: In diabetic animals as well as high glucose cell culture conditions, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is heavily O-GlcNAcylated, which inhibits its phosphorylation and nitric oxide (NO) production. It is unknown, however, whether varied blood flow conditions, which affect eNOS phosphorylation, modulate eNOS activity via O-GlcNAcylation-dependent mechanisms. Objective: The goal of this study was to test if steady laminar flow, but not oscillating disturbed flow, decreases eNOS O-GlcNAcylation, thereby elevating eNOS phosphorylation and NO production. Methods and Results: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were exposed to either laminar flow (20 dynes/cm2 shear stress) or oscillating disturbed flow (4{plus minus}6 dynes/cm2 shear stress) for 24 hours in a cone-and-plate device. eNOS O-GlcNAcylation was almost completely abolished in cells exposed to steady laminar but not oscillating disturbed flow. Interestingly, there was no change in protein level or activity of key O-GlcNAcylation enzymes (OGT, OGA, or GFAT). Instead, metabolomics data suggest that steady laminar flow decreases glycolysis and hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) activity, thereby reducing UDP-GlcNAc pool size and consequent O-GlcNAcylation. Inhibition of glycolysis via 2-deoxy-2-glucose (2-DG) in cells exposed to disturbed flow efficiently decreased eNOS O-GlcNAcylation, thereby increasing eNOS phosphorylation and NO production. Finally, we detected significantly higher O-GlcNAcylated proteins in endothelium of the inner aortic arch in mice, suggesting that disturbed flow increases protein O-GlcNAcylation in vivo. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that steady laminar but not oscillating disturbed flow decreases eNOS O-GlcNAcylation by limiting glycolysis and UDP-GlcNAc substrate availability, thus enhancing eNOS phosphorylation and NO production. This research shows for the first time that O-GlcNAcylation is regulated by mechanical stimuli, relates flow-induced glycolytic reductions to macrovascular disease, and highlights targeting HBP metabolic enzymes in endothelial cells as a novel therapeutic strategy to restore eNOS activity and prevent EC dysfunction in cardiovascular disease.

Abstract P069: Microvesicles From Enos-suppressed Endothelial Cells Induce Endothelial Cell Dysfunction

Hypertension ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinicius P Garcia ◽  
Jamie G Hijmans ◽  
Kelly A Stockelman ◽  
Madden Brewster ◽  
Hannah Fandl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Endothelial Cell ◽  
Umbilical Vein ◽  
No Production ◽  
Cell Dysfunction ◽  
Enos Activity ◽  
Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ◽  
And Function ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide

Introduction: Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity is critical to vascular health. Impaired eNOS activity and diminished NO production are common characteristics of a proatherogenic, dysfunctional endothelial phenotype that is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and disease. Extracellular microvesicles, particularly endothelial cell derived microvesicles (EMVs) represent novel mechanistic mediators of endothelial dysfunction and vascular disease. It is unknown whether eNOS suppression affects EMV number and function. We tested the following hypotheses: 1) eNOS blockade increases EMV release; and 2) EMVs derived from eNOS-suppressed cells adversely affect endothelial cell inflammation, apoptosis and NO production. Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with the eNOS inhibitor, L-N G -Nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 300mM) for 24 h. EMVs (CD144 + ) released into the supernatant from cells treated with L-NAME or vehicle were isolated and quantified by flow cytometry. Fresh HUVECs were then treated with either L-NAME-derived or control EMVs for 24 h. To evaluate the role of endocytosis on the endothelial effects of EMVs, HUVECs were pre-incubated (12 h) with EIPA, filipin and chlorpromazine for 2 h, and all experiments repeated. Results: EMV release was markedly higher (~100%; P<0.05) in cells treated with L-NAME compared with control (81±6 vs. 40±7 EMV/μL). L-NAME-generated EMVs induced significantly higher release of IL-6 (38.4±5.1 vs. 21.0±1.9 pg/mL) and IL-8 (38.9±3.5 vs. 27.2±3.1 pg/mL) as well as greater active NF-κB p65 (Ser-536) (9.7±0.7 vs. 6.1±0.6 AU) expression than control EMVs. The expression of activated-caspase-3 was significantly higher in the cells treated with L-NAME (9.5±1.1 vs. 6.4±0.4 AU). Total eNOS (97.1±8.2 vs. 157.5±15.6 AU), activated eNOS (4.9±1.2 vs. 9.1±1.3 AU) and NO production (5.0±0.8 vs. 7.0±0.6 μmol/L) were significantly lower in endothelial cells treated with EMVs from eNOS suppressed cells. Endocytosis blockers mitigated the deleterious endothelial effects of EMVs. Conclusion: eNOS-suppression increases EMV release. Moreover, EMVs from eNOS-suppressed cells increase endothelial cell inflammation and apoptosis and decrease NO production.

scholarly journals (−)-Epicatechin induces calcium and translocation independent eNOS activation in arterial endothelial cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 300 (4) ◽  
pp. C880-C887 ◽  
Author(s):  
Israel Ramirez-Sanchez ◽  
Lisandro Maya ◽  
Guillermo Ceballos ◽  
Francisco Villarreal
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Mesenteric Arteries ◽  
No Production ◽  
Human Coronary Artery ◽  
Calmodulin Binding ◽  
Pathway Activation ◽  
Functional Relevance ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide

The consumption of cacao-derived (i.e., cocoa) products provides beneficial cardiovascular effects in healthy subjects as well as individuals with endothelial dysfunction such as smokers, diabetics, and postmenopausal women. The vascular actions of cocoa are related to enhanced nitric oxide (NO) production. These actions can be reproduced by the administration of the cacao flavanol (−)-epicatechin (EPI). To further understand the mechanisms behind the vascular action of EPI, we investigated the effects of Ca2+ depletion on endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) activation/phosphorylation and translocation. Human coronary artery endothelial cells were treated with EPI or with bradykinin (BK), a well-known Ca2+-dependent eNOS activator. Results demonstrate that both EPI and BK induce increases in intracellular calcium and NO levels. However, under Ca2+-free conditions, EPI (but not BK) is still capable of inducing NO production through eNOS phosphorylation at serine 615, 633, and 1177. Interestingly, EPI-induced translocation of eNOS from the plasmalemma was abolished upon Ca2+ depletion. Thus, under Ca2+-free conditions, EPI can stimulate NO synthesis independent of calmodulin binding to eNOS and of its translocation into the cytoplasm. We also examined the effect of EPI on the NO/cGMP/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) pathway activation in isolated Ca2+-deprived canine mesenteric arteries. Results demonstrate that under these conditions, EPI induces the activation of this vasorelaxation-related pathway and that this effect is inhibited by pretreatment with nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, suggesting a functional relevance for this phenomenon.

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