scholarly journals Arginase and Arginine Dysregulation in Asthma

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renée C. Benson ◽  
Karen A. Hardy ◽  
Claudia R. Morris

In recent years, evidence has accumulated indicating that the enzyme arginase, which converts L-arginine into L-ornithine and urea, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary disorders such as asthma through dysregulation of L-arginine metabolism and modulation of nitric oxide (NO) homeostasis. Allergic asthma is characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammation, and remodeling. Through substrate competition, arginase decreases bioavailability of L-arginine for nitric oxide synthase (NOS), thereby limiting NO production with subsequent effects on airway tone and inflammation. By decreasing L-arginine bioavailability, arginase may also contribute to the uncoupling of NOS and the formation of the proinflammatory oxidant peroxynitrite in the airways. Finally, arginase may play a role in the development of chronic airway remodeling through formation of L-ornithine with downstream production of polyamines and L-proline, which are involved in processes of cellular proliferation and collagen deposition. Further research on modulation of arginase activity and L-arginine bioavailability may reveal promising novel therapeutic strategies for asthma.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryce W.Q. Tan ◽  
Sijie Tan ◽  
Byorn W.L. Tan ◽  
Sheeja Navakkode ◽  
Cheng Yang Ng ◽  
...  

AbstractMammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) is a master regulator of autophagy and lysosomes, and its downstream kinase-dependent pathways have been extensively characterized. Here, we report an unexpected kinase-independent regulation of autophagy and lysosomes by S-nitrosylation at Cys423 position of mTOR that resulted in suppression of VPS34 and PIKfyve-dependent phosphoinositide synthesis. Physiologically, S-nitrosylation of mTOR reduced basal lysosomal proteolysis via nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-mediated synthesis of NO from lysosomal arginine precursor, a marker of cellular nutrition status. Significantly, we found increased lysosomal NOS-mTOR complexes in APP-PS1 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) murine model, and increased mTOR S-nitrosylation in AD patient-derived fibroblasts. Lastly, we demonstrated that pharmacological inhibition of NOS or overexpression of mTORCys423Ala mutant reversed lysosomal and autophagic dysfunction in AD patient-derived fibroblasts, suggesting novel therapeutic strategies for autophagosome-lysosomal activation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-199
Author(s):  
Wioletta Ratajczak-Wrona ◽  
Ewa Jablonska

Background: Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) play a crucial role in the innate immune system’s response to microbial pathogens through the release of reactive nitrogen species, including Nitric Oxide (NO). </P><P> Methods: In neutrophils, NO is produced by the inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS), which is regulated by various signaling pathways and transcription factors. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a potential human carcinogen, affects immune cells. NDMA plays a major part in the growing incidence of cancers. Thanks to the increasing knowledge on the toxicological role of NDMA, the environmental factors that condition the exposure to this compound, especially its precursors- nitrates arouse wide concern. Results: In this article, we present a detailed summary of the molecular mechanisms of NDMA’s effect on the iNOS-dependent NO production in human neutrophils. Conclusion: This research contributes to a more complete understanding of the mechanisms that explain the changes that occur during nonspecific cellular responses to NDMA toxicity.


1998 ◽  
Vol 274 (1) ◽  
pp. C245-C252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junsuke Igarashi ◽  
Masashi Nishida ◽  
Shiro Hoshida ◽  
Nobushige Yamashita ◽  
Hiroaki Kosaka ◽  
...  

The effects of nitric oxide (NO) produced by cardiac inducible NO synthase (iNOS) on myocardial injury after oxidative stress were examined. Interleukin-1β induced cultured rat neonatal cardiac myocytes to express iNOS. After induction of iNOS,l-arginine enhanced NO production in a concentration-dependent manner. Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in myocytes was attenuated by elevated iNOS activity and by an NO donor, S-nitroso- N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP). Although NO production by iNOS did not induce myocardial injury, NO augmented release of lactate dehydrogenase from myocyte cultures after addition of H2O2(0.1 mM, 1 h). Inhibition of iNOS with Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester ameliorated the effects of NO-enhancing treatments on myocardial injury and GPX activity. SNAP augmented the myocardial injury induced by H2O2. Inhibition of GPX activity with antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide for GPX mRNA increased myocardial injury by H2O2. Results suggest that the induction of cardiac iNOS promotes myocardial injury due to oxidative stress via inactivation of the intrinsic antioxidant enzyme, GPX.


2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (No. 8) ◽  
pp. 359-366
Author(s):  
J. Li ◽  
B. Shi ◽  
S. Yan ◽  
L. Jin ◽  
Y. Guo ◽  
...  

The effects of chitosan on nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity and gene expression in vivo or vitro were investigated in weaned piglets. In vivo, 180 weaned piglets were assigned to five dietary treatments with six replicates. The piglets were fed on a basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 100, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg chitosan/kg feed, respectively. In vitro, the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a weaned piglet were cultured respectively with 0 (control), 40, 80, 160, and 320 &micro;g chitosan/ml medium. Results showed that serum NO concentrations on days 14 and 28 and iNOS activity on day 28 were quadratically improved with increasing chitosan dose (P &lt; 0.05). The iNOS mRNA expressions were linearly or quadratically enhanced in the duodenum on day 28, and were improved quadratically in the jejunum on days 14 and 28 and in the ileum on day 28 (P &lt; 0.01). In vitro, the NO concentrations, iNOS activity, and mRNA expression in unstimulated PBMCs were quadratically enhanced by chitosan, but the improvement of NO concentrations and iNOS activity by chitosan were markedly inhibited by N-(3-[aminomethyl] benzyl) acetamidine (1400w) (P&nbsp;&lt; 0.05). Moreover, the increase of NO concentrations, iNOS activity, and mRNA expression in PBMCs induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were suppressed significantly by chitosan (P &lt; 0.05). The results indicated that the NO concentrations, iNOS activity, and mRNA expression in piglets were increased by feeding chitosan in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, chitosan improved the NO production in unstimulated PBMCs but inhibited its production in LPS-induced cells, which exerted bidirectional regulatory effects on the NO production via modulated iNOS activity and mRNA expression.


2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (4) ◽  
pp. H1995-H2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuo-Hui Shao ◽  
Wei-Tien Chang ◽  
Kim Chai Chan ◽  
Kim R. Wojcik ◽  
Chin-Wang Hsu ◽  
...  

Optimal timing of therapeutic hypothermia for cardiac ischemia is unknown. Our prior work suggests that ischemia with rapid reperfusion (I/R) in cardiomyocytes can be more damaging than prolonged ischemia alone. Also, these cardiomyocytes demonstrate protein kinase C (PKC) activation and nitric oxide (NO) signaling that confer protection against I/R injury. Thus we hypothesized that hypothermia will protect most using extended ischemia and early reperfusion cooling and is mediated via PKC and NO synthase (NOS). Chick cardiomyocytes were exposed to an established model of 1-h ischemia/3-h reperfusion, and the same field of initially contracting cells was monitored for viability and NO generation. Normothermic I/R resulted in 49.7 ± 3.4% cell death. Hypothermia induction to 25°C was most protective (14.3 ± 0.6% death, P < 0.001 vs. I/R control) when instituted during extended ischemia and early reperfusion, compared with induction after reperfusion (22.4 ± 2.9% death). Protection was completely lost if onset of cooling was delayed by 15 min of reperfusion (45.0 ± 8.2% death). Extended ischemia/early reperfusion cooling was associated with increased and sustained NO generation at reperfusion and decreased caspase-3 activation. The NOS inhibitor Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (200 μM) reversed these changes and abrogated hypothermia protection. In addition, the PKCε inhibitor myr-PKCε v1-2 (5 μM) also reversed NO production and hypothermia protection. In conclusion, therapeutic hypothermia initiated during extended ischemia/early reperfusion optimally protects cardiomyocytes from I/R injury. Such protection appears to be mediated by increased NO generation via activation of protein kinase Cε; nitric oxide synthase.


2008 ◽  
Vol 294 (3) ◽  
pp. L582-L591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neetu Sud ◽  
Stephen Wedgwood ◽  
Stephen M. Black

In this study, we explore the roles of the delta isoform of PKC (PKCδ) in the regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells isolated from fetal lambs (FPAECs). Pharmacological inhibition of PKCδ with either rottlerin or with the peptide, δV1-1, acutely attenuated NO production, and this was associated with a decrease in phosphorylation of eNOS at Ser1177 (S1177). The chronic effects of PKCδ inhibition using either rottlerin or the overexpression of a dominant negative PKCδ mutant included the downregulation of eNOS gene expression that was manifested by a decrease in both eNOS promoter activity and protein expression after 24 h of treatment. We also found that PKCδ inhibition blunted Akt activation as observed by a reduction in phosphorylated Akt at position Ser473. Thus, we conclude that PKCδ is actively involved in the activation of Akt. To determine the effect of Akt on eNOS signaling, we overexpressed a dominant negative mutant of Akt and determined its effect of NO generation, eNOS expression, and phosphorylation of eNOS at S1177. Our results demonstrated that Akt inhibition was associated with decreased NO production that correlated with reduced phosphorylation of eNOS at S1177, and decreased eNOS promoter activity. We next evaluated the effect of endogenously produced NO on eNOS expression by incubating FPAECs with the eNOS inhibitor 2-ethyl-2-thiopseudourea (ETU). ETU significantly inhibited NO production, eNOS promoter activity, and eNOS protein levels. Together, our data indicate involvement of PKCδ-mediated Akt activation and NO generation in maintaining eNOS expression.


1997 ◽  
Vol 322 (2) ◽  
pp. 477-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
John S. HOTHERSALL ◽  
Fernando Q. CUNHA ◽  
Guy H. NEILD ◽  
Alberto A. NOROHNA-DUTRA

Under pathological conditions, the induction of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in macrophages is responsible for NO production to a cytotoxic concentration. We have investigated changes to, and the role of, intracellular glutathione in NO production by the activated murine macrophage cell line J774. Total glutathione concentrations (reduced, GSH, plus the disulphide, GSSG) were decreased to 45% of the control 48 h after cells were activated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide plus interferon γ. This was accompanied by a decrease in the GSH/GSSG ratio from 12:1 to 2:1. The intracellular decrease was not accounted for by either GSH or GSSG efflux; on the contrary, rapid export of glutathione in control cells was abrogated during activation. The loss of intra- and extracellular glutathione indicates either a decrease in synthesis de novo, or an increase in utilization, rather than competition for available NADPH. All changes in activated cells were prevented by pretreatment with the NOS inhibitor l-N-(1-iminoethyl)ornithine. Basal glutathione levels in J774 cells were manipulated by pretreatment with (1) buthionine sulphoximine (glutathione synthase inhibitor), (2) acivicin (γ-glutamyltranspeptidase inhibitor), (3) bromo-octane (glutathione S-transferase substrate) and (4) diamide/zinc (thiol oxidant and glutathione reductase inhibitor). All treatments significantly decreased the output of NO following activation. The degree of inhibition was dependent on (i) duration of treatment prior to activation, (ii) rate of depletion or subsequent recovery and (iii) thiol end product. The level of GSH did not significantly affect the production of NO, after induction of NOS. Thus, glutathione redox status appears to plays an important role in NOS induction during macrophage activation.


2002 ◽  
Vol 283 (6) ◽  
pp. L1192-L1199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip W. Shaul ◽  
Sam Afshar ◽  
Linda L. Gibson ◽  
Todd S. Sherman ◽  
Jay D. Kerecman ◽  
...  

Nitric oxide (NO), produced by NO synthase (NOS), plays a critical role in multiple processes in the lung during the perinatal period. To better understand the regulation of pulmonary NO production in the developing primate, we determined the cell specificity and developmental changes in NOS isoform expression and action in the lungs of third-trimester fetal baboons. Immunohistochemistry in lungs obtained at 175 days (d) of gestation (term = 185 d) revealed that all three NOS isoforms, neuronal NOS (nNOS), endothelial NOS (eNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS), are primarily expressed in proximal airway epithelium. In proximal lung, there was a marked increase in total NOS enzymatic activity from 125 to 140 d gestation due to elevations in nNOS and eNOS, whereas iNOS expression and activity were minimal. Total NOS activity was constant from 140 to 175 d gestation, and during the latter stage (160–175 d gestation), a dramatic fall in nNOS and eNOS was replaced by a rise in iNOS. Studies done within 1 h of delivery at 125 or 140 d gestation revealed that the principal increase in NOS during the third trimester is associated with an elevation in exhaled NO levels, a decline in expiratory resistance, and greater pulmonary compliance. Thus, there are developmental increases in pulmonary NOS expression and NO production during the early third trimester in the primate that may enhance airway and parenchymal function in the immediate postnatal period.


2000 ◽  
Vol 279 (4) ◽  
pp. F671-F678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohui Zhang ◽  
Hong Li ◽  
Haoli Jin ◽  
Zachary Ebin ◽  
Sergey Brodsky ◽  
...  

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.


2004 ◽  
Vol 287 (2) ◽  
pp. F231-F235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcela Herrera ◽  
Jeffrey L. Garvin

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) acutely inhibits NaCl reabsorption by the thick ascending limb (THAL) by activating the ETB receptor, stimulating endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and releasing nitric oxide (NO). In nonrenal tissue, chronic exposure to ET-1 stimulates eNOS expression via the ETB receptor and activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). We hypothesized that ET-1 increases eNOS expression in the THAL by binding to ETB receptors and stimulating PI3K. In primary cultures of medullary THALs treated for 24 h, eNOS expression increased by 36 ± 18% with 0.01 nM ET-1, 123 ± 30% with 0.1 nM ( P < 0.05; n = 5), and 71 ± 30% with 1 nM, whereas 10 nM had no effect. BQ-788, a selective ETB receptor antagonist, completely blocked stimulation of eNOS expression caused by 0.1 nM ET-1 (12 ± 25 vs. 120 ± 40% for ET-1 alone; P < 0.05; n = 5). BQ-123, a selective ETA receptor antagonist, did not affect the increase in eNOS caused by 0.1 nM ET-1. Sarafotoxin c (S6c; 0.1 μM), a selective ETB receptor agonist, increased eNOS expression by 77 ± 30% ( P < 0.05; n = 6). Wortmannin (0.01 μM), a PI3K inhibitor, completely blocked the stimulatory effect of 0.1 μM S6c (77 ± 30 vs. −28 ± 9%; P < 0.05; n = 6). To test whether the increase in eNOS expression heightens activity, we measured NO release in response to simultaneous treatment with l-arginine, ionomycin, and clonidine using a NO-sensitive electrode. NO release by control cells was 337 ± 61 and 690 ± 126 pA in ET-1-treated cells ( P < 0.05; n = 5). Taken together, these data suggest that ET-1 stimulates THAL eNOS, activating ETB receptors and PI3K and thereby increasing NO production.


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