Intracellular Production Of Cyclic GMP Research Articles

Somatostatin modulates PI3K-Akt, eNOS and NHE activity in the ciliary epithelium

Somatostatin (SST) is a biologically active peptide produced in neuroendocrine cells. In the present study, we provide evidence of pro-SST and SST receptor (SSTR1 and 2A) mRNA expression in ocular ciliary epithelium (CE). SST or SST-like immunoreactivity was detected by radioimmunoassay in tissue extract from ciliary processes and in aqueous humor. The distinct immunolabeling of CE with SST and proprotein convertases PC1 and PC2 antibodies suggested a tissue and cell-specific processing of pro-SST. SST (10 −8 to 10 −4 M) added exogenously to the CE, elicited the following effects: (i) a dose-dependent attenuation of Na +/H +-exchanger (NHE) activity; (ii) up to a two-fold increase phosphorylation of p-Akt-Ser 473 and of p-eNOS-Ser 617, and (iii) lack of response on intracellular cyclic GMP production. LY294002, a PI3K-inhibitor, blocked SST-induced p-Akt-Ser 473 and partially p-eNOS-Ser 617, however, it did not reverse SST-induced NHE attenuation. Collectively, these results suggested involvement of SST in multiple intracellular signaling pathways in the CE.

Long-lasting cyclic guanosine-3',5'-monophosphate accumulation in the medium of cultured smooth muscle cells from atherosclerotic rabbit aortas in response to exogenous or endogenous nitric oxide.

Although atherosclerosis causes a marked inhibition of the endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation it also leads to expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), accompanied by an increase in cyclic GMP content, in the arterial wall. The aim of our present study as to evaluate the influence of atherosclerosis on the soluble guanylyl cyclase pathway in viable cultured smooth muscle cells (SMC) from rabbit atherosclerotic rabbit aortas (atherosclerotic SMC) and from control rabbit aortas (control SMC). In response to 100 microM sodium nitroprusside (SNP), the intracellular production of cyclic GMP was similar in both types of cells, reaching a maximum after 5 min of incubation. In the culture medium, SNP evokes an increased cyclic GMP concentration lasting 6 h in control SMC and 24 h in atherosclerotic SMC. Interleukin-1beta (100 IU/mL), which induces iNOS in SMC from both control and atherosclerotic aortas causes accumulation of cyclic GMIP in the extracellular medium between 3 and 6 h for control SMC and between 3 and 24 h with atherosclerotic SMC. These results demonstrate a long-lasting egression of cyclic GMP in the extracellular medium of cultured SMC from rabbit aortas in response to endogenous or exogenous NO. Since this egression of cyclic GMP lasts longer in atherosclerotic than in control SMC, we suggest that atherosclerosis dysregulates the long-term soluble guanylyl cyclase response to NO in SMC.

Efficacy and rebound phenomenon related to intermittent nitroglycerin therapy for the prevention of nitrate tolerance.

Intermittent transdermal therapy of nitroglycerin (NTG) has been recommended for the prevention of nitrate tolerance, but a rebound phenomenon has been reported to occur following removal of the NTG tape. The present study investigated the effects of intermittent NTG therapy on vasodilatory response and the intracellular production of cyclic GMP (cGMP). The study group comprised 12 healthy adults and measurements were taken of the platelet cGMP level, the venous volume (VV) (by forearm plethysmography) and the plasma levels of neurohormonal factors before and 5 min after administration of 0.3 mg of sublingual nitroglycerin (NTG) during the following 4 phases: (i) the control phase (8.00 h); (ii) the continuous phase (8.00 h; 7 days after continuous application of a 10 mg/24 h NTG tape); (iii) the intermittent application phase (8.00 h; 7 days after intermittent application of NTG tape, applied at 21.00 h and removed at 9.00 h); and (iv) the intermittent removal phase (13.00 h; 4 h after removal of the NTG tape in the intermittent phase). The percentage increase in cGMP (%cGMP) and venous volume (%VV) were significantly lower in the continuous phase than the control phase, but there was no difference between the control and the intermittent application phases. However, in the intermittent removal phase, the cGMP level before sublingual NTG, the %cGMP and the %VV were unchanged, but the VV before sublingual NTG was significantly lower than in the control phase. Plasma renin activity and the plasma level of angiotensin II were significantly increased in the continuous phase, the intermittent application phase, and the intermittent removal phase. In conclusion, intermittent transdermal NTG therapy prevented nitrate tolerance in the production of cGMP and vasodilation, but induced a rebound phenomenon after removal of the NTG tape. The rebound phenomenon following the tape removal may be related to some other mechanism, such as activation of neurohormonal factors.

A cyclic GMP-dependent housekeeping Cl- channel in rabbit gastric parietal cells activated by a vasodilator ecabapide.

1. The membrane potential of rabbit gastric parietal cells is dominated by a Cl- channel with a subpicosiemens single channel conductance in the basolateral membrane. The effects of 3-[[[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl]carbamoyl]amino-N-methylbenzamide++ + (DQ-2511: ecabapide), a vasodilator, on the opening of this Cl-1 channel, the cyclic GMP content and the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) of parietal cells were investigated by whole-cell patch-clamp technique, enzyme immunoassay and Fura 2-fluorescence measurement. 2. Ecabapide stimulated the opening of the Cl-1 channel as determined by the reversal potential. This stimulation was concentration-dependent, and its EC50 value was 0.2 microM. Both the basal and ecabapide-induced openings of the channel were inhibited by 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoate (NPPB, 500 microM), a Cl- channel blocker. Another Cl- channel blocker, niflumic acid (500 microM) was much less effective. 3. The power spectra of the currents before and after the addition of ecabapide (10 microM) were analysed. Both spectra contained only one Lorentzian (1/f2) component. 4. 6-Anilino-5,8-quinolinedione (LY83583; 5 microM) which prevents activation of soluble guanylate cyclase, significantly inhibited both the basal and ecabapide (10 microM)-induced openings of the Cl- channel. 5. Ecabapide (0.01-100 microM) concentration-dependently elevated the cyclic GMP content in the parietal cell-rich suspension. The EC50 value was 0.2 microM. 6. In single Fura 2-loaded parietal cells, ecabapide (10-100 microM) did not increase [Ca2+]i. 7. These results indicate that ecabapide stimulates an intracellular production of cyclic GMP in the parietal cell without increasing [Ca2+]i, and leads to an activation of the housekeeping Cl- channel.

Regulation of secretion and clearance of C-type natriuretic peptide in the interaction of vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells

To clarify the significance of C-type natriuretic peptide in the interaction between endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells by investigating the endothelial production of C-type natriuretic peptide and the clearance mechanism of C-type natriuretic peptide using the endothelial cells-smooth muscle cells co-culture system. Secretion of C-type natriuretic peptide in the direct co-culture of endothelial cells with smooth muscle cells elicited as much as a 60-fold increase compared with endothelial cells alone. The accumulation of intracellular cyclic GMP in the co-culture was consequently increased and the elevation of cyclic GMP level in the co-culture was abolished by the anti-C-type natriuretic peptide monoclonal antibody. The elevated cyclic GMP production in the co-culture was abolished by the anti-transforming growth factor-beta neutralizing antibody. Candoxatrilat (10(-6)-10(-4) mol/l), a neutral endopeptidase inhibitor, dose-dependently increased the concentrations of C-type natriuretic peptide in the culture medium with endothelial cells alone, but not in the endothelial cells-smooth muscle cells co-culture. The transcript of neutral endopeptidase messenger RNA was detected in endothelial cells but not in smooth muscle cells by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Treatment with C-atrial natriuretic factor4-23 (10(-9)-10(-6) mol/l), the specific ligand for the clearance receptor of the natriuretic peptides, resulted in dose-dependent augmentation of C-type natriuretic peptide concentration and concomitant intracellular cyclic GMP production in the endothelial cells-smooth muscle cells co-culture but not in endothelial cells alone. The present study demonstrated that direct interaction between endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells augments C-type natriuretic peptide secretion from endothelial cells through transforming growth factor-beta activation, and revealed that the enzymatic degradation is responsible for the steady state level of C-type natriuretic peptide in endothelial cells alone and that the receptor-mediated clearance mainly determines the augmented level of C-type natriuretic peptide in the interaction between endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells. The results taken together raise the possibility that endothelial C-type natriuretic peptide might play a role in regulation of vascular tone and remodelling.

Cyclic GMP-mediated inhibition of L-type Ca2+ channel activity by human natriuretic peptide in rabbit heart cells.

1. Effects of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) on the L-type Ca2+ channels were examined in rabbit isolated ventricular cells by use of whole-cell and cell-attached configurations of the patch clamp methods. ANP produced a concentration-dependent decrease (10-100 nM) in amplitude of a basal Ca2+ channel current. 2. The inactive ANP (methionine-oxidized ANP, 30 nM) failed to decrease the current. 3. 8-Bromo-cyclic GMP (300 microM), a potent activator of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), produced the same effects on the basal Ca2+ channel current as those produced by ANP. The cyclic GMP-induced inhibition of the Ca2+ channel current was still evoked in the presence of 1-isobutyl-3-methyl-xanthine, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase. ANP failed to produce inhibition of the Ca2+ channel current in the presence of 8-bromo-cyclic GMP. 4. In the single channel recording, ANP and 8-bromo-cyclic GMP also inhibited the activities of the L-type Ca2+ channels. Both agents decreased the open probability (NPo) without affecting the unit amplitude. 5. The present results suggest that ANP inhibits the cardiac L-type Ca2+ channel activity through the intracellular production of cyclic GMP and then activation of PKG.

Natriuretic peptide clearance receptor is transcriptionally down-regulated by beta 2-adrenergic stimulation in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Three natriuretic peptide receptors (the ANP-A, ANP-B, and clearance (C) receptors) have been reported. The regulation of these receptors by catecholamines was examined in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells. Treatment with norepinephrine decreased the maximum 125I-ANP binding. The competitive binding assay with des[Gln18,Ser19,Gly20,Leu21, Gly22]ANP-(4-23)-NH2 (C-ANF-4-23), a specific ligand for the C receptor, revealed that the decrease in the 125I-ANP binding by norepinephrine was caused by the down-regulation of the C receptor. Isoproterenol also down-regulated the C receptor in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The catecholamine-induced down-regulation of the C receptor was antagonized by a beta 2-selective adrenergic antagonist, ICI 118,551 but not by an alpha 1-, alpha 2-, or beta 1-adrenergic antagonist. Forskolin, NaF and, 8-bromo-cyclic AMP also decreased the C receptor density. The isoproterenol-induced decrease in the C receptor level was further confirmed by affinity cross-linking and Western blot analysis. Northern blot analysis revealed that isoproterenol and 8-bromo-cyclic AMP decreased the steady-state level of C receptor mRNA. By contrast, neither the ANP-A receptor nor the ANP-B receptor mRNA level was affected by 8-bromo-cyclic AMP. The nuclear run-on assay showed that the transcriptional rate of the C receptor gene was decreased by isoproterenol, whereas those of the ANP-A and ANP-B receptor genes were unchanged. Isoproterenol attenuated the clearance of exogenously added ANP and augmented the ANP-stimulated intracellular cyclic GMP production to the same extent as the selective occupancy of the C receptor with C-ANF-(4-23), suggesting that the isoproterenol-induced enhancement of responsiveness to ANP could result not from the sensitization of the ANP-A or ANP-B receptor but from the down-regulation of the C receptor, which leads to the attenuated clearance of ANP. These findings suggest that the beta 2-adrenergic receptor stimulation down-regulates the C receptor through the decrease in the transcriptional rate of the C receptor gene and that the activation of the sympathetic nervous system augments the biological responsiveness to natriuretic peptides by attenuating their metabolic clearance in vascular walls.

Pharmacological characterization of nicorandil by 86Rb efflux and isometric vasorelaxation studies in vascular smooth muscle.

Nicorandil and cromakalim were found to stimulate 86Rb efflux (a marker of K+ ions) from resting preparations of rabbit aorta. This action was suppressed by 10(-5) M glibenclamide, an antagonist of K(+)-channel openers in vascular smooth muscle. Through intracellular production of cyclic GMP, and subsequent suppression of cellular Ca2+ activation, nitrovasodilators interfere indirectly with the activation of Ca(2+)-dependent ion channels. 8-Bromo-cyclic GMP and sodium nitroprusside antagonized the Ca(2+)-dependent 86Rb efflux induced by 3 x 10(-7) M norepinephrine. When nicorandil and cromakalim were investigated in the same experimental setup in the presence of glibenclamide to suppress stimulation of K+ channels, only nicorandil also suppressed the norepinephrine-induced increase of the 86Rb efflux. These results confirm that nicorandil acts as both an opener of K+ channels and a nitrovasodilator. Nicorandil relaxed helical strips from rabbit aorta contracted by 10(-7) M norepinephrine, but in contrast to the relaxant action of cromakalim, this response was not antagonized by the use of glibenclamide, indicating a greater importance of the nitrovasodilator mechanism than of the K(+)-channel-opening activity for relaxation in this tissue. However, when the nitrate-like action of nicorandil was suppressed by 10(-5) M methylene blue, the K(+)-channel-opening activity was unmasked on addition of 10(-4) M glibenclamide at high concentrations of nicorandil.

Structure-antinociceptive activity of neurotensin and some novel analogues in the periaqueductal gray region of the brainstem

Neurotensin, an endogenous tridecapeptide, produces a potent, naloxone-insensitive antinociceptive response when it is microinjected into the periaqueductal gray region of the rat brainstem. In the present study, the ED 50 for neurotensin in inducing antinociception was 1.5 nmol, two times more potent than morphine. We sought to find whether neurotensin's antinociceptive effects were mediated by the same receptor that mediates its other functions. We found that the structure-activity relationship of neurotensin-induced antinociception was different from that required for the stimulation of intracellular cyclic GMP production in neuroblastoma clone N1E-115 and the binding to N1E-115 cells, human brain tissue, or rat periaqueductal gray. These data suggest there exists a subtype of neurotensin receptors in neural tissue that mediates its antinociceptive actions.

Neurotensin(8–13): Comparison of novel analogs for stimulation of cyclic GMP formation in neuroblastoma clone N1E-115 and receptor binding to human brain and intact N1E-115 cells

Neurotensin(8–13), the carboxyl-terminal portion of neurotensin, is 4–50 times more potent than native neurotensin in binding to intact neuroblastoma N1E-115 cells and human brain tissue and in stimulation of intracellular cyclic GMP production and inositol phospholipid hydrolysis in clone N1E-115 (Gilbert JA and Richelson E, Eur J Pharmacol 99: 245–246, 1984; Gilbert JA et al., Biochem Pharmacol 35: 391–397, 1986; Kanba KS et al., J Neurochem 46: 946–952, 1986; and Kanba KS and Richelson E, Biochem Pharmacol 36: 869–874, 1987). A series of novel analogs of neurotensin (8–13) was synthesized, and a structure-activity study was done comparing the abilities of these peptides to stimulate intracellular cyclic GMP production in intact neuroblastoma clone N1E-115 and to inhibit the binding of [ 3H]neurotensin to these cells and to membranal preparations from human brain. A direct correlation was found for each analog between its EC 50 , for biochemical activity and its K D for binding ability in studies with clone N1E-115. Furthermore, a strong correlation existed for each peptide between its K D for binding to neurotensin receptors on these cells and its K D for binding to neurotensin receptors in human brain tissue. In this study, the residues that were important to the biochemical and binding activities of neurotensin (8–13) proved to be identical to the amino acids that are necessary for the functional integrity of native neurotensin (Gilbert JA et al., Biochem Pharmacol 35: 391–397, 1986).

Differential activation by atrial and brain natriuretic peptides of two different receptor guanylate cyclases

Alpha atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide are homologous polypeptide hormones involved in the regulation of fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. These two natriuretic peptides apparently share common receptors and stimulate the intracellular production of cyclic GMP as a second messenger. Molecular cloning has defined two types of natriuretic peptide receptors: the ANP-C receptor of relative molecular mass (Mr) 60-70,000 (60-70 K), which is not coupled to cGMP production and may function in the clearance of ANP and the ANP-A receptor of Mr 120-140 K, which is a membrane form of guanylate cyclase in which ligand binding to the extracellular domain activates the cytoplasmic domain of the enzyme. Here we report the cloning and expression of a second human natriuretic peptide-receptor guanylate cyclase, the ANP-B receptor. The ANP-B receptor is preferentially activated by porcine brain natriuretic peptide rather than human alpha-ANP, whereas the ANP-A receptor responds similarly to both natriuretic peptides. These observations may have important implications for our understanding of the central and peripheral control of cardiovascular homeostasis.