Didier Junquero

Endothelium-Dependent Contractions Are Associated With Both Augmented Expressionof Prostaglandin H Synthase-1 and Hypersensitivity to Prostaglandin H2in the SHR Aorta

Prostaglandin H2 (PGH2 [endoperoxide]) is an immediate product of prostaglandin H (PGH) synthase activity (cyclooxygenase) and a likely candidate to mediate endothelium-dependent contractions evoked by acetylcholine in the aorta of the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). Experiments were designed to investigate whether or not endothelium-dependent contractions were associated with an increased expression of PGH synthase, an augmented acetylcholine-induced release of PGH2, and/or a hypersensitivity of the smooth muscle to endoperoxides in SHR aorta compared with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) aorta. In SHR aorta, endothelium-dependent contractions to acetylcholine were abolished by tenidap (10(-8) mol/L), a preferential PGH synthase-1 inhibitor, but slightly impaired by NS-398 (10(-6) mol/L), a preferential PGH synthase-2 inhibitor. PGH synthase-1 expression, which was evaluated by both reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, was about twofold greater in preparations with endothelium from SHR than from WKY rats. There was no difference in PGH synthase-1 expression between preparations with and those without endothelium in both strains. In SHR but not WKY aortas, acetylcholine (10(-5) mol/L, 5 minutes) caused a significant endothelium-dependent release of PGH2 as measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. PGH2 evoked more potent contractions in rings without endothelium from SHR than from WKY rats, whereas the thromboxane analogue U46619 and prostaglandin F2 alpha caused a comparable response in both preparations. These results show that endothelium-dependent contractions to acetylcholine in SHR aorta are associated with a greater expression of PGH synthase-1, a significant release of PGH2, and a hypersensitivity of the smooth muscle to the endoperoxide.

PPARα and PPARδ activators inhibit cytokine-induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB and expression of VCAM-1 in EAhy926 endothelial cells

Abstract Endothelium injury is a primary event in atherogenesis, which is followed by monocyte infiltration, macrophage differentiation, and smooth muscle cell migration. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are transcription factors now recognized as important mediators in the inflammatory response. The aim of this study was to develop a human endothelial model to evaluate anti-inflammatory properties of PPAR activators. PPAR proteins (α, δ and γ) are expressed in EAhy926 endothelial cells (ECs). Pirinixic acid (Wy-14643), fenofibrate, fenofibric acid, the Merck ligand PPARδ activator L-165041, 15-deoxy-Δ 12,14 -prostaglandin J 2 , but not rosiglitazone (BRL-49653) inhibited the induced expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), as measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and monocyte binding to activated-EAhy926 cells. The PPARδ activator L-165041 had the greatest potency to reduce cytokine-induced monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) secretion. All PPAR activators tested which impaired VCAM-1 expression reduced significantly nuclear p65 amount. These results show that EAhy926 endothelial cells are an adequate tool to substantiate and characterize inflammatory impacts of PPAR activators.

Platelet-derived growth factor suppresses and fibroblast growth factor enhances cytokine-induced production of nitric oxide by cultured smooth muscle cells. Effects on cell proliferation.

Stimulation of thymidine incorporation by basic fibroblast growth factor or epidermal growth factor treatment of cultured quiescent smooth muscle cells (rat and human) was attenuated by the concomitant treatment with interleukin-1 beta in the presence of indomethacin. Platelet-derived growth factor-AB and -BB-induced thymidine incorporation was not inhibited by the presence of the cytokine under similar experimental conditions. Elevation of nitrite levels in the conditioned medium of cultures exposed to interleukin-1 beta correlated with the inhibition of thymidine incorporation. Platelet-derived growth factor-AB and -BB inhibited the production of nitric oxide (measured as nitrite levels in conditioned medium) by cells treated simultaneously with interleukin-1 beta and growth factor. However, platelet-derived growth factor-AA neither affected nitrite production nor thymidine incorporation by smooth muscle cells. Levels of cytokine-stimulated nitrite production by smooth muscle cells were increased synergistically by the presence of fibroblast growth factors or epidermal growth factor. The inhibition of thymidine incorporation and concomitant elevation of nitrite production was abolished in the presence of nitro-L-arginine. Cultures maintained in the presence of low levels of the cytokine for 9 days were growth-inhibited, and this was reversed when culture medium was supplemented with nitro-L-arginine. The treatment of smooth muscle cells, which were grown in coculture inserts with the cytokine to induce nitric oxide production, before their combination with other quiescent layers of cells resulted in the inhibition of thymidine incorporation by this second layer of cells regardless of the growth factor used for stimulation. Nitric oxide may act as an endogenous inhibitor of smooth muscle cell proliferation in the vessel wall, and impairment of its production may be one action of potent vascular mitogens such as platelet-derived growth factor.

The induction of nitric oxide synthase activity is inhibited by TGF-β1, PDGFAB and PDGFBB in vascular smooth muscle cells

Abstract The effect of transforming growth factor- β 1 (TGF- β 1 ) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) was investigated on the induction of nitric oxide synthase activity caused by interleukin-1β in cultured smooth muscle cells from rat aorta. TGF- β 1 , PDGF AB and PDGF BB but not PDGF AA inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner the production of nitrite, an oxidation product of nitric oxide, evoked by interleukin-1β. The growth factors alone did not stimulate the release of nitrite. The addition of interleukin-1β-treated smooth muscle cells to suspensions of indomethacin-treated human washed platelets inhibited the aggregation evoked by thrombin whereas no effect was observed with untreated cells. Platelet aggregation was not inhibited by smooth muscle cells that had been pretreated with interleukin-1β in combination with either TGF- β 1 , PDGF AB or PDGF BB but not with PDGF AA . These observations demonstrate that platelet-derived products such as TGF-β and PDGFs inhibit the induction of nitric oxide synthase activity in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Interleukin-1 β induces the production of an L-arginine-derived relaxing factor from cultured smooth muscle cells from rat aorta

The effect of interleukin-1 beta on the production of non-prostanoid vasoactive factors by cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells was investigated. Under bioassay conditions, the perfusate from a column of confluent cells grown on beads and treated with interleukin-1 beta (1 ng/ml for 18 to 24 hr) abolished the contraction of a canine coronary ring without endothelium contracted by phenylephrine (1 microM), while the perfusate from control cells had no effect. The relaxing activity of the perfusate was observed when transit times were increased from 1 sec to 5 min. Nitro L-arginine (100 microM) reversed the relaxations and L-arginine stereoselectively restored the relaxations. Interleukin-1 beta (1 ng/ml) evoked a time-dependent accumulation of cyclic GMP but not cyclic AMP in cultured smooth muscle cells. The transfer of fresh or stored (-70 degrees C) conditioned culture medium from interleukin-1 beta-treated cells but not from control cells, to cultured smooth muscle cells stimulated the production of cyclic GMP. These observations demonstrate that interleukin-1 beta induces the production of transferable factor which relaxes vascular smooth muscle and stimulates the production of cyclic GMP.

Inhibition of cytokine-induced nitric oxide production by transforming growth factor-beta 1 in human smooth muscle cells.

1. Experiments were performed to investigate the effects of human recombinant interleukin‐1 beta on the production of vasoactive substances by human aortic smooth muscle cells in culture. Smooth muscle cells were cultured either on microcarrier beads for bioassay experiments, or in multiwell plates for the determination of nitrite levels. 2. Cells were grown on microcarrier beads, treated with interleukin‐1 beta or vehicle (control) for 24 h, and packed in a column which was perfused with oxygenated Krebs‐Ringer solution in the presence of indomethacin. The activity of the perfusates was bioassayed by measuring the changes in tension of a contracted ring of Wistar rat aorta without endothelium, and by evaluating the modulation of thrombin‐induced platelet aggregation. 3. Perfusates from interleukin‐1 beta treated cells evoked relaxations of the contracted detector tissues, and microcarrier beads covered with treated cells inhibited thrombin‐induced platelet aggregation. Superoxide dismutase enhanced these effects whereas Methylene Blue abolished them. Control cells evoke neither relaxation nor inhibition of platelet aggregation. Interleukin‐1 beta induced a time‐ and concentration‐dependent production of nitrite. Cycloheximide and nitro‐L‐arginine inhibited the relaxations and the production of nitrite evoked by interleukin‐1 beta‐treated cells. L‐Arginine but not D‐arginine overcame the blockade elicited by nitro‐L‐arginine. Transforming growth factor‐beta 1 reduced the interleukin‐1 beta‐dependent generation of nitrite by cultured smooth muscle cells and relaxation of contracted bioassay tissues. 4. Interleukin‐1 beta, transforming growth factor‐beta 1, Methylene Blue and L‐arginine‐related compounds did not induce significant variations of tension of the detector rings. 5. These data demonstrate that the inflammatory and immunological mediator interleukin‐1 can stimulate the production of a nitric oxide‐like substance(s) in cultured human smooth muscle cells leading to the activation of soluble guanylate cyclase. Liberation of transforming growth factor‐beta by activated platelets may inhibit these reactions.

Regulation of the scavenger receptor BI and the LDL receptor by activators of aldosterone production, angiotensin II and PMA, in the human NCI-H295R adrenocortical cell line.

In human adrenal cells, cholesterol for steroidogenesis is derived from both high-density lipoproteins (HDL) via the Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I (SR-BI) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) via the LDL receptor pathway. We have previously shown that, in the human adrenocortical carcinoma cell line, NCI-H295R, SR-BI and LDL receptor expression and steroidogenesis are coordinately regulated by activators of protein kinase A (PKA) leading to glucocorticoid synthesis. In the present study, we studied whether SR-BI and LDL receptor expression are regulated by activators of the protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathway, such as angiotensin II, which stimulate mineralocorticoid synthesis. First, it is shown that, in NCI-H295R cells, aldosterone synthesis is stimulated by a phorbol ester (phorbol-12-myristate-13 acetate, PMA), a potent PKC activator. Northern blot analysis indicated that both angiotensin II and PMA stimulated SR-BI expression in a time-dependent manner. LDL receptor expression is slightly stimulated by PMA. The induction of SR-BI gene expression occurs at the transcriptional level, via an activation of the human SR-BI promoter, as shown by transient transfection experiments. Finally, SR-BI protein level was increased in angiotensin II- and PMA-stimulated cells, resulting in higher lipoprotein binding and specific cholesteryl ester (CE) uptake from HDL, as well from LDL after angiotensin II and PMA stimulation.

Anti-atherosclerotic properties of the acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase inhibitor F 12511 in casein-fed New Zealand rabbits.

The anti-atherosclerotic properties of F 12511, a novel acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) inhibitor, were studied in rabbits that were fed a cholesterol-free casein-rich diet and developed endogenous hypercholesterolemia and fibrofatty preatheroma lesions. After 6 weeks of casein feeding, an endothelial abrasion was performed in the abdominal aorta; at week 8, a control group was maintained on this diet while F 12511 (8 mg/kg/d) was administered as a diet admixture for the subsequent 24 weeks. Total plasma cholesterol level rose to 250–300 mg/dl in both groups before starting the treatment; F 12511 time-dependently reduced total plasma cholesterol by 50%, and also decreased by 50% the incidence of lesions and macrophage accumulation in uninjured aorta (thoracic arch, celiac bifurcation). Residual lesions in the treated group were characterized by few macrophages, essentially under the endothelium, and by a larger content of smooth muscle cells. Quantitative image analysis of serial sections of mechanically injured abdominal aorta revealed a 20% surface covered by preatheroma lesions in the placebo group; F 12511 significantly reduced this surface. These data suggest that the combination of endogenous hypercholesterolemia with endothelial injury in the rabbit may offer a useful model to study atherosclerosis; lipid lowering by F 12511 reduces the incidence of vascular lesions and macrophage infiltration and may reinforce the fibrous skeleton of the atheroma.

Cardiovascular Drugs Inhibit MMP-9 Activity from Human THP-1 Macrophages

It is now recognized that atherosclerosis complications are related to the unstable character of the plaque rather than its volume. Vulnerable plaques often contain a large lipid core, a reduced content of smooth muscle cells, and accumulation of inflammatory cells. Colocalization of macrophages and active matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is likely relevant for atherosclerotic lesion disruption. Nevertheless, MMP activity and regulation by cardiovascular drugs remains poorly defined. In this study, we evaluated the effects of avasimibe, fluvastatin, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ligands on 92-kDa gelatinase B (MMP-9) secretion by human THP-1 macrophages. THP-1 macrophages were treated with compounds for 48 h, and secreted MMP-9 protein was quantified by immunoassay. Avasimibe, fluvastatin, and PPARalpha agonists (fenofibric acid and Wy-14643) significantly reduced, in a concentration-dependent manner, MMP-9 protein (up to 67 +/- 5% for fenofibric acid). In these assays, the PPARgamma selective agonist rosiglitazone displayed a lower efficacy than other compounds. Enzymatic activity of MMP-9 was also decreased by all cardiovascular drugs tested. MMP-9 protein/activity inhibition by cardiovascular drugs was due, at least in part, to a decrease in MMP-9 mRNA. These results show that THP-1 macrophages could be an useful cellular model to investigate effects of compounds on plaque vulnerability through MMP-9 activity.

Indapamide potentiates the endothelium-dependent production of cyclic guanosine monophosphate by bradykinin in the canine femoral artery

Indapamide is a sulfonamide diuretic agent that has antihypertensive properties. In the canine femoral artery, indomethacin reduces the endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by bradykinin, and indapamide restores the response. The aim of this study was to determine whether indapamide affects the release or the effects of endothelium-derived nitric oxide and prostanoids. The effect of indapamide on the production of endothelium-derived nitric oxide and prostacyclin was assessed indirectly by the measurement of the tissue content of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP) and the accumulation of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha in the incubation medium, respectively. Indapamide did not affect the basal production of either cyclic GMP, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP), or 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha in the presence or absence of indomethacin. Indomethacin decreased the production of cyclic AMP and the release of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha induced by bradykinin, and this was unaffected by indapamide. Indapamide enhanced the bradykinin-stimulated production of cyclic GMP in the presence of indomethacin and did not affect that evoked by 3 morpholino-sydnonimine, an exogenous donor of nitric oxide. Indomethacin had no significant effect on the production of cyclic GMP stimulated by either bradykinin or 3 morpholino-sydnonimine. These studies demonstrate that the potentiation by indapamide of the relaxation evoked by bradykinin is associated with an enhanced production of cyclic GMP in the presence of indomethacin, which suggests that the production of endothelium-derived nitric oxide is increased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)