Formation Of 20-HETE Research Articles

Induction of Renal Cytochrome P450 Arachidonic Acid Epoxygenase Activity by Dietary γ-Linolenic Acid

Dietary gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid found in borage oil (BOR), lowers systolic blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). GLA is converted into arachidonic acid (AA) by elongation and desaturation steps. Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) are cytochrome P450 (P450)-derived AA eicosanoids with important roles in regulating blood pressure. This study tested the hypothesis that the blood pressure-lowering effect of a GLA-enriched diet involves alteration of P450-catalyzed AA metabolism. Microsomes and RNA were isolated from the renal cortex of male SHRs fed a basal fat-free diet for 5 weeks to which 11% by weight of sesame oil (SES) or BOR was added. There was a 2.6- to 3.5-fold increase in P450 epoxygenase activity in renal microsomes isolated from the BOR-fed SHRs compared with the SES-fed rats. Epoxygenase activity accounted for 58% of the total AA metabolism in the BOR-treated kidney microsomes compared with 33% in the SES-treated rats. More importantly, renal 14,15- and 8,9-EET levels increased 1.6- to 2.5-fold after dietary BOR treatment. The increase in EET formation is consistent with increases in CYP2C23, CYP2C11, and CYP2J protein levels. There were no differences in the level of renal P450 epoxygenase mRNA between the SES- and BOR-treated rats. Enhanced synthesis of the vasodilatory EETs and decreased formation of the vasoconstrictive 20-HETE suggests that changes in P450-mediated AA metabolism may contribute, at least in part, to the blood pressure-lowering effect of a BOR-enriched diet.

Characterization of blood pressure and renal function in chromosome 5 congenic strains of Dahl S rats

The present study examined whether transfer of overlapping regions of chromosome 5 that include (4A+) or exclude the cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 4A genes from the Lewis rat alters the renal production of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) and/or the development of hypertension in congenic strains of Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rats. The expression of CYP4A protein and the production of 20-HETE in the renal outer medulla was greater in the 4A+ congenic strain than the levels seen in S rats or in overlapping control congenic strains that exclude the CYP4A region. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) rose from 122 +/- 2 to 190 +/- 7 mmHg in S rats and from 119 +/- 2 and 123 +/- 2 to 189 +/- 7 and 187 +/- 3 mmHg in the two control congenic strains fed an 8.0% NaCl diet for 3 wk. In contrast, MAP only increased from 112 +/- 2 to 150 +/- 5 mmHg in the 4A+ congenic strain. Chronic blockade of the formation of 20-HETE with N-(3-chloro-4-morpholin-4-yl) phenyl-N'-hydroxyimido formamide (TS-011; 1 mg/kg bid) restored the salt-sensitive phenotype in the 4A+ congenic strain and MAP rose to 181 +/- 6 mmHg after an 8.0% NaCl dietary challenge. TS-011 had no effect on the development of hypertension in S rats or the two control congenic strains. The pressure-natriuretic and diuretic responses were fivefold greater in the 4A+ congenic strain than in S rats. These results indicate that transfer of the region of chromosome 5 between markers D5Rat108 to D5Rat31 from the Lewis rat into the Dahl S genetic background increases the renal production of 20-HETE, improves pressure-natriuresis and opposes the development of salt-induced hypertension.

9L Gliosarcoma Cell Proliferation and Tumor Growth in Rats Are Suppressed by N-Hydroxy-N′-(4-butyl-2-methylphenol) Formamidine (HET0016), a Selective Inhibitor of CYP4A

The present study examined the effects of N-hydroxy-N'-(4-butyl-2 methylphenyl) formamidine (HET0016), a selective inhibitor of the formation of 20-hydroxyeicosatrienoic acid (20-HETE) on the growth of 9L rat gliosarcoma cells in vitro and in vivo. After 48 h of incubation, HET0016 reduced the proliferation of 9L in vitro by 55%, and this was associated with a fall in p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase and stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase phosphorylation and increased apoptosis. HET0016 inhibited epidermal growth factor (EGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced proliferation and diminished phosphorylation of PDGF receptors. A stable 20-HETE analog increased 9L cell proliferation. In vivo, chronic administration of HET0016 (10 mg/kg/day i.p.) for 2 weeks reduced the volume of 9L tumors by 80%. This was accompanied by a 4-fold reduction in the mitotic index, a 3- to 4-fold increase in the apoptotic index, and a approximately 50% decrease in vascularization in the tumor. HET0016 treatment increased mean survival time of the animals from 17 to 22 days. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry experiments indicated that neither 9L cells grown in vitro nor 9L tumors removed produce 20-HETE when incubated with arachidonic acid. The normal surrounding brain tissue, however, avidly makes 20-HETE, and this activity is selectively inhibited by HET0016. These results suggest that HET0016 may be the prototype of a class of antigrowth compounds that may be efficacious for treating malignant brain tumors. In vivo, it may act in part by inhibiting the formation of 20-HETE by the surrounding tissue. However, the antiproliferative effects of HET0016 on 9L cells in vitro seem unrelated to its ability to inhibit the formation of 20-HETE.

Role of 20-HETE in the pial arteriolar constrictor response to decreased hematocrit after exchange transfusion of cell-free polymeric hemoglobin

The cerebrovascular response to decreases in hematocrit and viscosity depends on accompanying changes in arterial O2 content. This study examines whether 1) the arteriolar dilation seen after exchange transfusion with a 5% albumin solution can be reduced by the K(ATP) channel antagonist glibenclamide (known to inhibit hypoxic dilation), and 2) the arteriolar constriction seen after exchange transfusion with a cell-free hemoglobin polymer to improve O2-carrying capacity can be blocked by inhibitors of the synthesis or vasoconstrictor actions of 20-HETE. In anesthetized rats, decreasing hematocrit by one-third with albumin exchange transfusion dilated pial arterioles (14 +/- 2%; SD), whereas superfusion of the surface of the brain with 10 muM glibenclamide blocked this response (-10 +/- 7%). Exchange transfusion with polymeric hemoglobin decreased the diameter of pial arterioles by 20 +/- 3% without altering arterial pressure. This constrictor response was attenuated by superfusing the surface of the brain with a 20-HETE antagonist, WIT-002 (10 microM; -5 +/- 1%), and was blocked by two chemically dissimilar selective inhibitors of the synthesis of 20-HETE, DDMS (50 microM; 0 +/- 4%) and HET-0016 (1 microM; +6 +/- 4%). The constrictor response to hemoglobin transfusion was not blocked by an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, and the inhibition of the constrictor response by DDMS was not altered by coadministration of the NO synthase inhibitor. We conclude 1) that activation of K(ATP) channels contributes to pial arteriolar dilation during anemia, whereas 2) constriction to polymeric hemoglobin transfusion at reduced hematocrit represents a regulatory response that limits increased O2 transport and that is mediated by increased formation of 20-HETE, rather than by NO scavenging.

CytochromeP-450-dependent metabolism of arachidonic acid in the kidney of rats with diabetes insipidus

This study compared the renal metabolism of arachidonic acid in Brattleboro (BB) (vasopressin deficient) and Long-Evans (LE) control rats and the effects of a cytochrome P-450 (CYP) inhibitor 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT) on renal function in these animals. The production of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) by renal cortical and outer medullary microsomes was significantly greater in BB than in LE rats (155 +/- 16 vs. 92 +/- 13 and 59 +/- 7 vs. 33 +/- 3 pmol.min(-1).mg protein(-1)). Renal cortical epoxygenase activity was not different in these strains. The expression of CYP4A proteins was 58 and 78% higher in the renal cortex and outer medulla of BB than in LE rats. Chronic treatment of BB rats with a vasopressin type 2 receptor agonist for 1 wk normalized the renal production of 20-HETE. Chronic blockade of the formation of 20-HETE and EETs with ABT had little effect on renal function in LE rats. However, urine flow increased by 54% and urine osmolarity decreased by 33% in BB rats treated with ABT. Plasma levels of oxytocin fell significantly from 7.2 +/- 1.3 to 3.9 +/- 1.0 pg/ml. The effects of ABT in BB rats were attenuated by chronic infusion of oxytocin (0.7 ng.min(-1).100 g(-1)) to maintain fixed high plasma levels of this hormone. These results indicate that the expression of CYP4A protein and the renal formation of 20-HETE are elevated in the kidney of BB rats due to a lack of vasopressin and that chronic blockade of the formation of 20-HETE and EETs with ABT promotes water excretion in vasopressin-deficient BB rats by reducing the circulating levels of oxytocin, which is a weak vasopressin agonist.

Inhibition of Ca 2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, RAS-GTPase and 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid attenuates the development of diabetes-induced vascular dysfunction in the rat carotid artery

Diabetes causes accelerated vascular dysfunction through mechanisms that are poorly understood. This study examined the role of Ca 2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), Ras-GTPase and 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) in the development of abnormal reactivity to vasoactive agents in the carotid artery of diabetic rats. The vasoconstrictor response induced by endothelin-1 (ET-1) was significantly increased, whereas vasodilator response to carbachol was significantly reduced in the carotid artery segments of the STZ-diabetic rats. In contrast, the vasoconstrictor response to depolarization of the carotid arterial rings with 50 mM KCl was similar in control and diabetic animals. Chronic intraperitoneal administration of KN-93 (5 mg/kg/alt diem), an inhibitor of CaMKII, FPTIII (1.5 mg/kg/alt diem), an inhibitor of Ras-GTPase, and inhibitors of 20-HETE formation 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT, 50 mg/kg/alt diem) and N-hydroxy- N′-(4-butyl-2-methylphenyl)formamidine (HET0016, 2.5 mg/kg/day), produced significant normalization of the altered agonist-induced vasoconstrictor and vasodilator responses without affecting blood glucose levels. All the inhibitors were administered for 4 weeks starting from the day 1 of diabetes induction. Inhibition of CaMKII, Ras-GTPase or 20-HETE formation did not affect the agonist-induced vasoconstrictor and vasodilator responses in the non-diabetic control animals. These data indicate that chronic blockade of CaMKII, Ras-GTPase or the production of 20-HETE normalizes the altered vascular reactivity to ET-1 and carbachol in the carotid artery of STZ-induced diabetic rats.

Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 4A Suppress Angiogenic Responses

Cytochrome P450 enzymes of the 4A family (CYP4A) convert arachidonic acid to 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) in blood vessels of several vascular beds. The present study examined the effects of inhibiting the formation of 20-HETE with N-hydroxy-N'-(4-butyl-2-methylphenol) formamidine (HET0016) on the mitogenic response of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro, and on growth factor-induced angiogenesis in the cornea of rats in vivo. HET0016 (10 micromol/L and 20 microg, respectively) abolished the mitogenic response to VEGF in HUVECs and the angiogenic response to VEGF, basic fibroblast growth factor, and epidermal growth factor in vivo by 80 to 90% (P < 0.001). Dibromododecenyl methylsulfonimide (DDMS), a structurally and mechanistically different inhibitor of 20-HETE synthesis, also abolished angiogenic responses when tested with VEGF. Additionally, administration of the stable 20-HETE agonist, 20-hydroxyeicosa-6(Z) 15(Z)-dienoic acid (WIT003) induced mitogenesis in HUVECs and angiogenesis in the rat cornea in vivo. We studied the ability of HET0016 to alter the angiogenic response in the rat cornea to human glioblastoma cancer cells (U251). When administered locally into the cornea, HET0016 (20 microg) reduced the angiogenic response to U251 cancer cells by 70%. These results suggest that a product of CYP4A product, possibly 20-HETE, plays a critical role in the regulation of angiogenesis and may provide a useful target for reduction of pathological angiogenesis.

Role of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) in vascular system

Cytochrome P450s (P450) metabolize arachidonic acid (AA) to hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs). Among these eicosanoids, 20-HETE is formed in a tissue and cell-specific fashion and plays an important role in the regulation of vascular tone in the brain, kidney, heart and splanchnic beds. 20-HETE is a potent vasoconstrictor produced in vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells. It depolarizes VSM by blocking the open-state probability of Ca2+-activated K+-channels. Inhibitors of the formation of 20-HETE block the myogenic response of renal and cerebral arterioles in vitro and autoregulation of renal and cerebral blood flow in vivo. The formation of 20-HETE in vascular smooth muscle is stimulated by angiotensin II, endothelin and norepinephrine and is inhibited by nitric oxide (NO). 20-HETE also stimulates mitogenic and angiogenic responses in vitro and in vivo. Changes in the production of 20-HETE have been observed in ischemic cerebrovascular diseases, cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury, kidney diseases, hypertension, diabetes, uremia, toxemia of pregnancy. The physiological and pathophysiological role of 20-HETE in the regulation of vascular tone are being revealed by the use of newly developed inhibitors of the synthesis of 20-HETE and 20-HETE analogs. The present review summarizes recent findings implicating a critical role for 20-HETE in altering cardiovascular function in a variety of pathological conditions.

Identification and quantification of the hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, 20-HETE and 12-HETE, in the cerebrospinal fluid after subarachnoid hemorrhage

Purpose: The monohydroxylated metabolite of arachidonic acid, 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE), is a potent vasoconstrictor of cerebral microvessels. 20-HETE formation is substantially elevated in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in the rat subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) model. The presence of 20-HETE in human CSF has not been demonstrated. Therefore, it was the purpose of this study to determine if HETE metabolites are present in human CSF after SAH. Methods: CSF samples were collected daily from four SAH patients over 15 days. HETE metabolites were separated by HPLC with identification by ion-trap MS/MS and quantification via single quadrupole MS operating in negative single ion monitoring mode. Results: Two major metabolites were identified as 12-HETE and 20-HETE. 20-HETE maximal concentrations were 2.9 and 0.7 ng/ml at ∼70 h in the two patients with symptomatic cerebral vasospasm (SV) after SAH. Concentrations of 12-HETE in these patients peaked at 21.9 ng/ml and 2.8 ng/ml. Concentrations of 20-HETE and 12-HETE were non-detectible in the majority of the samples obtained from two matched SAH patients without SV. Conclusions: This study is the first to demonstrate that 20-HETE and 12-HETE are present in the CSF of SAH patients at physiologically relevant concentrations. Based on this information future prospective studies will allow for the delineation of the role of these metabolites in the pathogenesis of SAH.

Dietary K intake regulates the response of apical K channels to adenosine in the thick ascending limb.

We used the patch-clamp technique to study the effect of adenosine on the apical 70-pS K channel in the thick ascending limb (TAL) of the rat kidney. Application of 1 microM cyclohexyladenosine (CHA), an adenosine analog, stimulated apical 70-pS K channel activity and increased the product of channel open probability and channel number (NP(o)) from 0.34 to 0.7. Also, addition of CGS-21680, a specific A(2a) adenosine receptor agonist, mimicked the effect of CHA and increased NP(o) from 0.33 to 0.77. The stimulatory effect of CHA and CGS-21680 was completely blocked by H89, an inhibitor of protein kinase A (PKA), or by inhibition of adenylate cyclase with SQ-22536. This suggests that the stimulatory effect of adenosine analogs is mediated by a PKA-dependent pathway. The effect of adenosine analog was almost absent in the TAL from rats on a K-deficient (KD) diet for 7 days. Application of DDMS, an agent that inhibits cytochrome P-450 hydrolase, not only significantly increased the activity of the 70-pS K channel but also restored the stimulatory effect of CHA on the 70-pS K channel in the TAL from rats on a KD diet. Also, the effect of CHA was absent in the presence of 20-HETE. Inhibition of PKA blocked the stimulatory effect of CHA on the apical 70-pS K channel in the presence of DDMS in the TAL from rats on a KD diet. We conclude that stimulation of adenosine receptor increases the apical 70-pS K channel activity via a PKA-dependent pathway and that the effect of adenosine on the apical 70-pS K channel is suppressed by low-K intake. Moreover, the diminished response to adenosine is the result of increase in 20-HETE formation, which inhibits the cAMP-dependent pathway in the TAL from rats on a KD diet.

Role of cytochrome P450 metabolites of arachidonic acid in hypertension.

Considerable evidence has accumulated over the last decade implicating a role of cytochrome P450 (CYP)-dependent metabolites of arachidonic acid (AA) in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Indeed, 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) is produced by vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells and is a potent vasoconstrictor that depolarizes VSM by blocking large conductance Ca+-activated K2+ channels. In contrast, epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are synthesized by the vascular endothelium and have opposite effects on VSM (hyperpolarization and vasodilatation). Inhibition of the synthesis of 20-HETE attenuates myogenic tone and autoregulation of blood flow and modulates vascular responses to vasodilators (NO and CO) and vasoconstrictors (angiotensin II, endothelin). In the kidney, 20-HETE inhibits sodium transport in the proximal tubule by blocking Na+-K+-ATPase activity. In the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle, 20-HETE inhibits Na+-K+-2Cl- transport, in part, by blocking a 70 pS apical K+ channel. EETs are produced in the proximal tubule where they inhibit Na+-H+ exchange and in the collecting duct where they inhibit sodium and water transport. Numerous studies have established that the formation of EETs and 20-HETE and the expression of CYP enzymes are altered in the kidney in many genetic and experimental animal models of hypertension and in some forms of human hypertension. However, the functional significance of these changes remains to be determined. Given the importance of this pathway in the control of renal function and vascular tone, it is likely that alterations in the renal formation of CYP-dependent metabolites of AA will be shown to participate in the development of hypertension in many of these models.

Dietary sodium and blood pressure.

The importance of dietary sodium chloride in the regulation of blood pressure has received much attention over the past few years. This area of research and knowledge has been controversial for several reasons. The major reason for controversy is that the science of the relationship is difficult to ascertain. Population science is limited by the narrow range of dietary sodium intake by most populations and individuals and the multiple confounders in those populations at the extremes of intake. Results from clinical trials have been difficult to interpret because of the difficulty in maintaining a given level of sodium intake over a period of time sufficient for study. Furthermore, basic science studies have been challenged by identifying appropriate models that mimic salt-sensitive hypertension in humans. Moreover, a lack of a well-funded proponent in industry complicates the research challenges. Guyton’s concept that the role of the kidney in handling sodium is key to the long-term regulation of blood pressure is now generally accepted.1 However, the exact role that dietary sodium plays in this relationship remains controversial. The relationship between renal handling of sodium and blood pressure is apparently influenced by a complex combination of factors including nutritional, other environmental, genetic, neurohormonal, and metabolic factors. The skepticism of many regarding the role of dietary sodium in blood pressure regulation and control has been tempered by the results of the DASH sodium study.2 Most acknowledge that this study reliably confirmed the benefit of dietary sodium restriction in blood pressure management. The study showed a dose-dependent impact of dietary sodium restriction on blood pressure in older hypertensive and nonhypertensive subjects. For many interested in this area of research, the questions have shifted as a result of the DASH sodium study. Rather than questioning whether dietary sodium is important, many investigators have turned their …

Modulation of V1-receptor-mediated renal vasoconstriction by epoxyeicosatrienoic acids.

This study examined the effects of renal arterial infusion of a selective cytochrome P-450 epoxygenase inhibitor, N-methylsulfonyl-6-(2-propargyloxyphenyl)hexanamide (MS-PPOH; 2 mg/kg plus 1.5 mg.kg(-1).h(-1)), on renal hemodynamic responses to infusions of [Phe(2),Ile(3),Orn(8)]vasopressin and ANG II into the renal artery of anesthetized rabbits. MS-PPOH did not affect basal renal blood flow (RBF) or cortical or medullary blood flow measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry (CLDF/MLDF). In vehicle-treated rabbits, [Phe(2),Ile(3),Orn(8)]vasopressin (30 ng.kg(-1).min(-1)) reduced MLDF by 62 +/- 7% but CLDF and RBF were unaltered. In MS-PPOH-treated rabbits, RBF and CLDF fell by 51 +/- 8 and 59 +/- 13%, respectively, when [Phe(2),Ile(3),Orn(8)]vasopressin was infused. MS-PPOH had no significant effects on the MLDF response to [Phe(2),Ile(3),Orn(8)]vasopressin (43 +/- 9% reduction). ANG II (20 ng.kg(-1).min(-1)) reduced RBF by 45 +/- 10% and CLDF by 41 +/- 14%, but MLDF was not significantly altered. MS-PPOH did not affect blood flow responses to ANG II. Formation of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids (DiHETEs) was 49% lower in homogenates prepared from the renal cortex of MS-PPOH-treated rabbits than from vehicle-treated rabbits. MS-PPOH had no effect on the renal formation of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE). Incubation of renal cortical homogenates from untreated rabbits with [Phe(2),Ile(3),Orn(8)]vasopressin (0.2-20 ng/ml) did not affect formation of EETs, DiHETEs, or 20-HETE. These results do not support a role for de novo EET synthesis in modulating renal hemodynamic responses to ANG II. However, EETs appear to selectively oppose V(1)-receptor-mediated vasoconstriction in the renal cortex but not in the medullary circulation and contribute to the relative insensitivity of cortical blood flow to V(1)-receptor activation [corrected].

Elevated BSC-1 and ROMK Expression in Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rat Kidneys

This study compared the expression of enzymes and transport and channel proteins involved in the regulation of sodium reabsorption in the kidney of Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) and salt-resistant Brown-Norway (BN) and consomic rats (SS.BN13), in which chromosome 13 from the BN rat has been introgressed into the DS genetic background. The expression of the Na+/K+/2Cl- (BSC-1) cotransporter, Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE3), and Na+-K+-ATPase proteins were similar in the renal cortex of DS, BN, and SS.BN13 rats fed either a low-salt (0.1% NaCl) or a high-salt (8% NaCl) diet. The expression of the BSC-1 and the renal outer medullary K+ channel (ROMK) were higher, whereas the expression of the cytochrome P4504A proteins responsible for the formation of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic (20-HETE) was lower in the outer medulla of the kidney of DS than in BN or SS.BN13 rats fed either a low-salt or a high-salt diet. In addition, the renal formation and excretion of 20-HETE was lower in DS than in BN and SS.BN13 rats. These results suggest that overexpression of ROMK and BSC-1 in the thick ascending limb combined with a deficiency in renal formation of 20-HETE may predispose Dahl S rats fed a high-salt diet to Na+ retention and hypertension.

Cytochrome P-450 inhibition attenuates hypertension induced by reductions in uterine perfusion pressure in pregnant rats.

The present study tested the hypothesis that cytochrome P-450 (CYP) metabolites of arachidonic acid (AA) are involved in mediating hypertension and renal vasoconstriction during chronic reductions in uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) in pregnant rats. 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT), a CYP enzyme inhibitor (25 mg/kg per day), or vehicle (saline 0.9%) was administered for 7 days to normal pregnant (NP) rats and to pregnant rats with chronic RUPP. RUPP rats infused with vehicle showed significantly (P<0.01) higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) (130+/-2 versus 106+/-1 mm Hg), renal vascular resistance (RVR) (22.6+/-1.8 versus 16.3+/-1.1 mm Hg/mL per minute) and lower (P<0.05) glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (1.6+/-0.1 versus 2.3+/-0.1 mL/min) than NP rats. ABT decreased (P<0.01) MAP in RUPP rats (111+/-1 mm Hg), whereas it had no effect in NP rats (108+/-2 mm Hg). CYP inhibition also attenuated the differences in renal hemodynamics observed between NP and RUPP rats. After treatment with ABT, RVR and GFR were similar in RUPP rats (19.3+/-1.5 mm Hg/mL per minute and 2.0+/-0.2 mL/min, respectively) and NP rats (16.3+/-2.4 mm Hg/mL per minute and 2.4+/-0.2 mL/min). The effects of CYP enzymes inhibitor in RUPP rats were associated with a reduction (P<0.05) of 20-HETE formation (32%) and a decreased (P<0.05) expression (33%) of CYP4A protein in renal cortex. In contrast, renal epoxygenase activity did not change in these animals. These results suggest that 20-HETE contributes to hypertension and renal vasoconstriction induced by chronic RUPP in pregnant rats.

Catalytic activity and isoform-specific inhibition of rat cytochrome p450 4F enzymes.

Arachidonic acid is omega-hydroxylated to 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE), which has effects on vasoactivity and renal tubular transport and has been implicated in the regulation of blood pressure. Cytochrome p450 (p450) 4A isoforms are generally considered the major arachidonic acid omega-hydroxylases; however, little is known about the role of rat CYP4F isoforms in 20-HETE formation. The rat CYP4F isoforms, CYP4F1, CYP4F4, CYP4F5, and CYP4F6, were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, and their substrate specificity in fatty acid metabolism was characterized. Substrate-binding assays indicated that leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) and arachidonic acid bound CYP4F1 and CYP4F4 in a type-I manner with a K(s) of 25 to 59 microM, and lauric acid bound CYP4F4 poorly. Reconstituted CYP4F1 and CYP4F4 catalyzed the omega-hydroxylation of LTB(4) with a K(m) of 24 and 31 microM, respectively, and CYP4F5 had minor activity in LTB(4) metabolism. Importantly, CYP4F1 and CYP4F4 catalyzed the omega-hydroxylation of arachidonic acid with an apparent k(cat) of 9 and 11 min(-1), respectively. Lauric acid was a poor substrate for all of the CYP4F isoforms, and CYP4F6 had no detectable fatty acid omega-hydroxylase activity. The p450 omega-hydroxylase inhibitors 17-octadecynoic acid, 10-undecynyl sulfate, and N-methylsulfonyl-12,12-dibromododec-11-enamide showed isoform-specific inhibition of CYP4F1- and CYP4F4-catalyzed omega-hydroxylation of arachidonic acid and potency differences between the CYP4A and CYP4F isoforms. These data support a significant role for CYP4F1 and CYP4F4 in the formation of 20-HETE and identify p450 inhibitors that can be used to understand the relative contribution of the CYP4A and CYP4F isoforms to renal 20-HETE formation.

Brain in the Brawn

Nitric oxide (NO) plays a central role in the regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis and is involved in the regulation of vascular tone and cardiac contractility as well as gene expression and cell proliferation. Furthermore, NO modulates renin secretion and salt and fluid reabsorption in the kidney.1 Three isoforms of NO synthase (NOS) have been identified, the neuronal NOS (nNOS or NOS I), the inducible NOS (iNOS or NOS II), and the endothelial NOS (eNOS or NOS III). While all of these enzymes potentially affect blood pressure, only eNOS-deficient mice are hypertensive.2,3 Although nNOS is expressed in cardiac myocytes,4,5 as well as in vascular smooth muscle cells,6–8 relatively little is known about the role played by nNOS-derived NO in cardiovascular homeostasis. Both pro- and antihypertensive actions have been attributed to nNOS, and selective inhibitors of this isoform have been reported to normalize blood pressure,9 as well as to attenuate flow-induced vasodilatation in eNOS−/− mice.8 The regulation of nNOS activity, like that of eNOS, is determined by phosphorylation of the enzyme as well as by its association with a number of regulatory proteins.10 One protein that associates with nNOS in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells and is reported to play a major role in regulating the activity of the Ca2+-dependent enzyme, is the plasma membrane Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA).11 The ATPase binds to nNOS via an interaction between its carboxyl terminus and the PDZ domain of nNOS. Increasing expression of the PMCA4b isoform markedly attenuates NO synthesis by nNOS, an effect not observed in cells overexpressing a mutant PMCA that was devoid of Ca2+-transporting activity.11 Thus, …

Inhibitors of 20-HETE formation promote salt-sensitive hypertension in rats.

This study examined whether chronic blockade of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and/or 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) formation promotes development of salt-sensitive hypertension. Changes in blood pressure, renal cytochrome P450 metabolism of arachidonic acid, and 20-HETE excretion in response to a high salt diet were measured in rats chronically treated with 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT, 50 mg/kg per day) to block EETs and 20-HETE formation or N-hydroxy-N'-(4-butyl-2 methylphenyl) formamidine (HET0016, 10 mg/kg per day) that selectively reduces 20-HETE formation. ABT reduced blood pressure in rats fed a low salt (0.4% NaCl) diet, but blood pressure rose by 20 mm Hg after these rats were switched to a high salt (8% NaCl) diet for 10 days. HET0016 had no effect on blood pressure in rats fed a low salt diet; however, blood pressure rose by 18 mm Hg after the rats were fed a high salt diet. 20-HETE formation in kidney homogenates rose by 30% and epoxygenase activity doubled when rats were fed a high salt diet. Chronic treatment with ABT and HET0016 inhibited the renal formation of 20-HETE by approximately 90%. Renal epoxygenase activity decreased by 76% in ABT-treated rats and was not significantly altered in rats treated with HET0016. 20-HETE excretion rose from 470+/-21 to 570+/-41 ng/d when the rats were switched from the low to the high salt diet. 20-HETE excretion fell by 68% and 85% in rats that were chronically treated with ABT and HET0016. These results suggest that chronic blockade of the formation of 20-HETE promotes the development of salt-sensitive hypertension in rats.

CYP4A metabolites of arachidonic acid and VEGF are mediators of skeletal muscle angiogenesis.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been implicated in angiogenesis induced by electrical stimulation in skeletal muscle. Less is known about the role of arachidonic acid metabolites in the control of growth of blood vessels in vivo. The present study examined the role of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) on the angiogenesis induced by electrical stimulation in skeletal muscle. The tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus muscles of rats were stimulated for 7 days. Electrical stimulation significantly increased the 20-HETE formation and angiogenesis in the muscles, which was blocked by chronic treatment with N-hydroxy-N'-(4-butyl-2-methylphenol)formamidine (HET0016) or 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT). Chronic treatment with either HET0016 or ABT did not block the increases in VEGF protein expression in both muscles. To analyze the role of VEGF on 20-HETE formation, additional rats were treated with VEGF-neutralizing antibody (VEGF Ab). VEGF Ab blocked the increases of 20-HETE formation induced by stimulation. These results place 20-HETE in the downstream signaling pathway for angiogenesis and show that both VEGF and 20-HETE are involved in the angiogenesis induced by electrical stimulation in skeletal muscle.

Contributions of 20-HETE to the antihypertensive effects of Tempol in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

The present study evaluated whether reactive oxygen species-induced alterations in bioavailability of 20-HETE in the kidney contribute to the antihypertensive and renoprotective actions of antioxidant therapy with Tempol in the Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) rat. Superoxide inhibited the synthesis of 20-HETE by renal cortical microsomes and enhanced breakdown of 20-HETE to a more polar product. Addition of Tempol (1 mmol/L) to the drinking water reduced mean arterial pressure from 187+/-9 to 160+/-3 mm Hg in DS rats fed an 8%-NaCl diet for 2 weeks. 20-HETE excretion rose from 117+/-11 to 430+/-45 ng/day, and 8-isoprostane excretion fell from 14+/-1 to 8+/-1 ng/day. Tempol also increased creatinine clearance and reduced the severity of renal damage in DS rats fed a high-salt diet. Blockade of NO synthase with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (25 mg/kg per day) did not attenuate the antihypertensive or renoprotective actions of Tempol in DS rats. However, chronic blockade of the formation of 20-HETE with N-hydroxy-N'-(4-butyl-2 methylphenyl) formamidine (HET0016, 10 mg/kg per day) blunted the antihypertensive and renoprotective effects of Tempol. These findings indicate that the antihypertensive and renoprotective effects of reducing oxidative stress with Tempol depends in part on increasing the bioavailability of 20-HETE in the kidney.