Kiyotaka Hoshiai

Nitric oxide inactivates NADPH oxidase in pig neutrophils by inhibiting its assembling process.

The effects of nitric oxide (NO) on superoxide (O·̄2) generation of the NADPH oxidase in pig neutrophils were studied. NO dose-dependently suppressed O·̄2 generation of both neutrophil NADPH oxidase and reconstituted NADPH oxidase. Effects of NO on NADPH-binding site and the redox centers including FAD and low spin heme in cytochromeb 558 and the electron transfer rates from NADPH to heme via FAD were examined under anaerobic conditions. Both reaction rates and the K m value for NADPH were unchanged by NO. Visible and EPR spectra of cytochrome b 558showed that the structure of heme was unchanged by NO, indicating that NO does not affect the redox centers of the oxidase. In reconstituted NADPH oxidase system, NO did not inhibit O·̄2 generation of the oxidase when added after activation. The addition of NO to the membrane component or the cytosol component inhibited the activity by 24.0 ± 5.3 or 37.4 ± 7.1%, respectively. The addition of NO during the activation process or to the cytosol component simultaneously with myristate inhibited the activity by 74.0 ± 5.2 or 70.0 ± 8.3%, respectively, suggesting that cytosol protein(s) treated with myristate becomes susceptible to NO. Peroxynitrite did not interfere with O·̄2 generation.

Peroxynitrite Formation in Focal Cerebral Ischemia—Reperfusion in Rats Occurs Predominantly in the Peri-Infarct Region

Peroxynitrite (ONOO−) exhibits potent neurotoxicity and plays an important role in neu ronal death, but no evidence shows that it is formed in the brain during ischemia or subsequent reperfusion. To detect the formation of ONOO−, we used a hydrolysis/HPLC procedure to measure the formation of 3-nitro-l-tyrosine (NO2-Tyr), which is considered to reflect attack of ONOO− on l-tyrosine residues of cellular components in the brain. Focal ischemia was produced by occluding the right common carotid and right middle cerebral arteries for 2 hours, and the ischemic area was reperfused by reopening the middle cerebral artery. After 2 hours of ischemia, the values of the ratio of NO2-Tyr to l-tyrosine were 0% ± 0%, 0.42% ± 0.13% and 0.29% ± 0.10% in the noninfarct, periinfarct, and core-of-infarct regions, respectively. After 3 hours of reperfusion following 2 hours of ischemia, the ratio in the periinfarct region reached 0.89 ± 0.22%, which was significantly higher than that in the core-of-infarct region (0.35 ± 0.09%). The NO2-Tyr was not detected in 50 mg/kg of N-monomethyl-l-arginine–treated or sham-operated rats. Regional CBF in the periinfarct region decreased to 30.8 ± 15.9 mL/100 g/min during occlusion, but recovered more rapidly than did that in the core-of-infarct region.

Tanshinone II-A inhibits low density lipoprotein oxidation in vitro

Tanshinone II-A (TSII-A) is a major component of Salvia miltorrhiza Bunge which has long been used for preventing and ameliorating anginal pain in China. However the effect of TSII-A on low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation has not been studied. The present study was performed to investigate the effects of TSII-A on LDL oxidation using four oxidizing systems, including copper-, peroxyl radical- and peroxynitriteinitiated and macrophage-mediated LDL oxidation. LDL oxidation was measured in terms of formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), relative electrophoretic mobility (REM) on agarose gel and lag time. In all four systems, TSII-A has apparent antioxidative effects against LDL oxidation, as evidenced by its dose-dependent inhibition of TBARS formation, prolongation of lag time and suppression of increased REM. Regarding the mechanism underlying its antioxidative effect, TSII-A neither scavenged superoxide nor peroxynitrite. It also did not chelate copper. But it has mild peroxyl radical scavenging activity. The direct binding to LDL particles and conformational change of LDL structure by TSII-A were suggested, because it increased negative charge of LDL which was shown by increased REM on agarose gel. In conclusion, TSII-A is an effective antioxidant against LDL oxidation in vitro. The underlying mechanism appears to be related to its peroxyl radical scavenging and LDL binding activity.

Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Deficiency Does Not Affect the Susceptibility of Mice to Atherosclerosis but Increases Collagen Content in Lesions

Background —Although endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is antiatherogenic, the role of inducible NOS (iNOS) in the development of atherosclerosis is not established. Methods and Results —We compared the susceptibility of iNOS knockout (iNOS−/−) and wild-type (iNOS+/+) mice to the development of atherosclerosis induced by feeding an atherogenic diet for 15 weeks. Plasma lipid level, atherosclerotic lesion size, and cellular density in the lesions were all similar in the 2 strains (lesion size: iNOS+/+ 285±73×103 &mgr;m2, iNOS−/− 293±82×103 &mgr;m2, n=10). iNOS mRNA was detected in the lesions of iNOS+/+ but not iNOS−/− mice through RT-PCR. Immunohistochemically, iNOS+/+ mice showed iNOS staining in macrophages and medial smooth muscle cells in the lesions. Nitrotyrosine staining showed a similar distribution, whereas it was absent in iNOS−/− mice. There was no apparent difference in the intensity or distribution of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 staining in the lesions of the 2 strains. However, the lesions of iNOS+/+ mice showed a markedly decreased extracellular collagen content compared with those of iNOS−/− mice Conclusions —iNOS induction does not affect the development of atherosclerosis in mice fed an atherogenic diet, but the resulting lesions show decreased levels of extracellular collagen and may be more fragile.

MET-88 a γ-butyrobetaine hydroxylase inhibitor, improves cardiac SR Ca2+ uptake activity in rats with congestive heart failure following myocardial infarction

We previously reported that MET-88, 3-(2,2,2-trimethylhydrazinium) propionate, improved left ventricular diastolic dysfunction induced by congestive heart failure (CHF) in rats. The present study was designed to investigate the mechanism by which MET-88 improved the cardiac relaxation impaired in CHF rats. The left coronary artery of the animals was ligated, and the rats were then orally administered vehicle (control), MET-88 at 50 or 100 mg/kg or captopril at 20 mg/kg for 20 days. Myocytes were isolated from the non-infarcted region in the left ventricle, and cell shortening and [Ca2+]i transients were measured with a video-edge detector and by fluorescence analysis, respectively. In CHF control rats, the diastolic phase of cell shortening was prolonged compared with that of the sham-operated (sham) rats. This prolongation was prevented by treatment with MET-88 at 100 mg/kg or captopril at 20 mg/kg. CHF control rats also showed an increase in the decay time of [Ca2+]i transients compared with sham rats. MET-88 at 100 mg/kg and captopril at 20 mg/kg attenuated the increase in decay time of [Ca2+]i transients. Ca2+ uptake activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) isolated from the non-infarcted region in the left ventricle was measured, and Lineweaver-Burk plot analysis of the activity was performed. CHF control rats revealed a decrease in the Vmax for SR Ca2+ uptake activity without alteration in Kd. MET-88 at 100 mg/kg significantly prevented the decrease in Vmax, but had no effect on Kd. Also, treatment with MET-88 at 100 mg/kg improved myocardial high-energy phosphate levels impaired in CHF rats. These results suggest that one of the mechanisms by which MET-88 improved cardiac relaxation in CHF rats is based on the amelioration of [Ca2+]i transients through increase of SR Ca2+ uptake activity.

Increased plasma tetrahydrobiopterin in septic shock is a possible therapeutic target

Hemoperfusion with a column of polymyxin B immobilized on fibers (PMX) has been used to adsorb endotoxin in-patients with septic shock. PMX hemoperfusion (PMX-H) increases blood pressure (BP) too rapidly for the effect to be attributable to endotoxin removal. Since inducible NO synthase (iNOS) is known to be involved in the profound hypotension, we hypothesized that a decrease of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)), an essential cofactor of iNOS, might account for the rapid effect of PMX-H on BP, if plasma BH(4) is increased concomitantly with NO in septic shock patients and if PMX can decrease BH(4). BH(4) was evaluated by measuring total biopterin, which can include derivatives of BH(4) by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We confirmed that PMX fabric time dependently decreased total biopterin concentration in vitro. The plasma level of total biopterin in shock patients was indeed markedly elevated compared with that in volunteers (131.1+/-33.4 vs. 10.4+/-1.1 nM, n=5, P<0.01). Level of NO metabolites (NOx) were 173.9+/-104.7 versus 28.7+/-11.6 µM (P<0.01). In beagles, plasma total biopterin was 44.7+/-6.9 nM at baseline, reached 118+/-28.6 nM after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection, and fell to 70.2+/-15.8 nM after PMX-H. Plasma NOx concentration was increased from 15.2+/-4.2 to 41.0+/-7.5 µM by LPS treatment. BP was 130+/-11.3 mmHg at baseline, 82.2+/-8.3 mmHg at 14 h after LPS, and 115.2+/-16.0 mmHg after PMX-H. In rats, plasma total biopterin was 88.8+/-1.5 nM at baseline, 383.7+/-144.2 nM after LPS and 177.0+/-14.2 nM after PMX-H. Plasma NOx was also increased after LPS (from 34.6+/-4.4 to 1445.6+/-376.0 nM). The marked increase in total biopterin concomitantly with NOx in septic shock patients and its reduction by PMX-H in animal models of septic shock are consistent with our hypothesis, and appear to justify further research on BH(4) removal as a potential therapeutic target.

No evidence of NO-induced damage in potential donor organs after brain death

Brain death induces multiple-organ dysfunction, with undesirable consequences for organ transplantation. However, the mechanisms are not completely clear. In the hearts, lungs, livers, and kidneys of rats, we investigated whether brain death leads to changes in nitric oxide (NO) production or to the formation of nitrotyrosine (the footprint of peroxynitrite, formed from NO and superoxide) or to lipid peroxidation products. To produce a rat model of brain death, we inflated a subdurally placed balloon catheter. We used the Griess reaction to assay plasma nitrite and nitrate. Proteolytic digestion followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection determined nitrotyrosine formation in the tissues. Tissues were also examined immunohistochemically with anti-nitrotyrosine antibody. We used a thiobarbituric acid method to assay lipid peroxidation. An intense, transient hemodynamic activation occurred at the onset of brain death (heart rate, 496 beats/min; mean arterial pressure (AP), 181 mm Hg; dP/dt(max), 11,500 mm Hg/sec). A constant hypotensive phase (mean AP, 50 mm Hg; dP/dt(max), 2,674 mm Hg/sec) followed. Plasma concentration of nitrite plus nitrate remained unchanged 2 hours after brain death (32.8 +/- 1.5 vs 31.3 +/- 2.2 micromol/liter at zero time). Neither HPLC nor immunohistochemistry detected significant nitrotyrosine formation in the tissues. We detected no increase in lipid peroxidation products.Our results indicate that changes in the generation of reactive nitrogen and active oxygen species do not play an important role in post-brain-death organ dysfunction, at least not at the early stage.

Impaired sarcoplasmic reticulum function in lipopolysaccharide-induced myocardial dysfunction demonstrated in whole heart.

To clarify the pathophysiological cascade leading to lipopolysaccharide- (LPS) induced myocardial dysfunction, we measured sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) function, expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and left ventricular (LV) function in a rat whole heart model. The LV function was evaluated by peak LV pressure and SR function was evaluated by the mechanical restitution (MR) curve, a physiological parameter of SR function. The mechanical restitution curve was constructed by plotting extrasystolic potentiation of LV dP/dt during extrasystoles (100-700 ms) under fixed pacing. Functions were evaluated using the perfusion apparatus at 6 or 24 h after LPS administration. In the 6 h group, LV pressure was depressed to 62% of the control, the SR function was impaired, and iNOS protein was expressed. In the 24 h group LV pressure and SR function remained at the control levels, iNOS was not detected. In the 6 h group dexamethasone co-administration normalized the LPS effect and iNOS was not expressed. LPS-induced myocardial dysfunction appeared to be caused by impaired SR function and NO expression suggesting that NO may act as a trigger.