Kohji Ichimori

Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonists and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors Lower In Vitro the Formation of Advanced Glycation End Products: Biochemical Mechanisms

The implication of advanced glycation end products (AGE) in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and of diabetic and uremic complications has stimulated a search for AGE inhibitors. This study evaluates the AGE inhibitory potential of several well-tolerated hypotensive drugs. Olmesartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AIIR) antagonist, as well as temocaprilat, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, unlike nifedipine, a calcium blocker, inhibit in vitro the formation of two AGE, pentosidine and N(epsilon)-carboxymethyllysine (CML), during incubation of nonuremic diabetic, nondiabetic uremic, or diabetic uremic plasma or of BSA fortified with arabinose. This effect is shared by all tested AIIR antagonists and ACE inhibitors. On an equimolar basis, they are more efficient than aminoguanidine or pyridoxamine. Unlike the latter two compounds, they do not trap reactive carbonyl precursors for AGE, but impact on the production of reactive carbonyl precursors for AGE by chelating transition metals and inhibiting various oxidative steps, including carbon-centered and hydroxyl radicals, at both the pre- and post-Amadori steps. Their effect is paralleled by a lowered production of reactive carbonyl precursors. Finally, they do not bind pyridoxal, unlike aminoguanidine. Altogether, this study demonstrates for the first time that widely used hypotensive agents, AIIR antagonists and ACE inhibitors, significantly attenuate AGE production. This study provides a new framework for the assessment of families of AGE-lowering compounds according to their mechanisms of action.

Clinical Evidence of Peroxynitrite Formation in Chronic Renal Failure Patients with Septic Shock

The production of both nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide increases in septic shock. The cogeneration of these molecules is known to yield peroxynitrite, which preferentially nitrates tyrosine residues of protein and non-protein origins. We present evidence of peroxynitrite production in septic shock by measuring plasma nitrotyrosine. The nitrotyrosine was measured by an HPLC C-18 reverse-phase column and ultraviolet detector in chronic renal failure patients with or without septic shock, and in healthy volunteers. Plasma nitrite + nitrate (NOx) was also measured to evaluate NO production. Nitrotyrosine was selected as an index for production of peroxynitrite because the direct measurement of peroxynitrite in vivo is difficult. Patients with renal failure were selected in order to minimize nitrotyrosine excretion through the kidney. Plasma nitrotyrosine levels were not detectable in volunteers, 28.0 +/- 12.3 microM (1.6 +/- 1.1% of total tyrosine) in renal failure patients without septic shock, and 118.2 +/- 22.0 microM (5.5 +/- 1.2% of total tyrosine) in patients with septic shock. NOx levels were also higher in patients with septic shock than in patients without septic shock (173.9 +/- 104.7 vs. 75.6 +/- 19.1 microM). Although renal failure itself increases plasma concentrations of both molecules, the higher levels in patients with septic shock suggest that peroxynitrite is generated and the nitration of tyrosine residues is increased in this disease.

Practical nitric oxide measurement employing a nitric oxide-selective electrode

An NO‐selective electrode was developed as an easily applicable tool for a real‐time nitric oxide (NO) measurement. The working electrode (0.2 mm diam) was made from Pt/Ir alloy coated with a three‐layered membrane. The counterelectrode was made from a carbon fiber. When a stable NO donor, S‐nitroso‐N‐acetyl‐dl‐penicillamine, was applied, the electrode current increased in a dose‐dependent fashion. The current and calculated NO concentration showed a linear relationship in the range from 0.2 nM (S/N=1) to 1 μM of NO. The response of the electrode was 1.14±0.09 s. The effects of temperature, pH, and chemicals other than NO on the electrode current were also evaluated. Electrodes which were placed in the luminal side of rat aortic rings exhibited 30 pA of current due to NO generation induced by the addition of 10−6 M of acetylcholine. The current was eliminated in the presence of 50 μM NG‐monomethyl‐L‐arginine, an inhibitor of NO synthase. Thus, this NO‐selective electrode is applicable to real‐time NO assa...

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-induced cardiac myocyte injury.

The effects of peroxynitrite (ONOO-) on cultured cardiac myocytes were examined by simultaneous measurements of intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and contractile function. On exposure to 0.2 mM ONOO-, [Ca2+]i increased to beyond the systolic level within 5 min with a concomitant decrease in spontaneous contraction of myocytes followed by complete arrest. Addition of a L-type Ca2+ channel blocker or removal of extracellular Ca2+ prevented the ONOO(-)-induced increase in [Ca2+]i, indicating that the increase in [Ca2+]i was caused by the enhanced influx of Ca2+ through the plasma membrane and not by the enhanced release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Plasma membrane fluidity and concentration of the thiobarbiturate acid-reactive substance (TBARS) in the cells remained unchanged by the ONOO- treatment. The complete cessation of contraction of myocytes persisted even under the massive increase in [Ca2+]i, which was induced by an additional saponin (5 microM) treatment. In conclusion, ONOO- increases [Ca2+]i in myocytes through disturbance of Ca2+ transport systems in the plasma membrane and impairs contractile protein.

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.

Rapid accumulation of fluorescent material with aging in an oxygen-sensitive mutant mev-1 of Caenorhabditis elegans

Mutations in mev-1 of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans render animals hypersensitive to high oxygen concentrations. They also reduce life span. To further understand the effects of mev-1 on aging, accumulation of fluorescent material resembling lipofuscin was measured by biochemical and histological analyses. Fluorescent material accumulated in both wild type and mev-1 animals with increasing age. The mev-1 mutant accumulated more fluorescent material at a greater rate than dose wild type. Furthermore, the accumulation rates depended on concentration of oxygen. Since this phenotype has been widely used as an aging marker, these results validate mev-1s use as a model to study aging.

Nitric Oxide Reversibly Suppresses Xanthine Oxidase Activity

The effects of nitric oxide (NO) on xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity and the site(s) of the redox center(s) affected were investigated. XOD activity was determined by superoxide (O2-) generation and uric acid formation. NO reversibly and dose-dependently suppressed XOD activity in both determination methods. The suppression interval also disclosed a dose-dependent prolongation. The suppression occurred irrespective of the presence or absence of xanthine; indicating that the reaction product of NO and O2-, peroxynitrite, is not responsible for the suppression. Application of synthesized peroxynitrite did not affect XOD activity up to 2 microM. Methylene blue, which is an electron acceptor from Fe/S center, prevented the NO-induced inactivation. The results indicate that NO suppresses XOD activity through reversible alteration of the flavin prosthetic site.

Inhibition of Xanthine Oxidase and Xanthine Dehydrogenase by Nitric Oxide NITRIC OXIDE CONVERTS REDUCED XANTHINE-OXIDIZING ENZYMES INTO THE DESULFO-TYPE INACTIVE FORM

Xanthine oxidase (XO) and xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) were inactivated by incubation with nitric oxide under anaerobic conditions in the presence of xanthine or allopurinol. The inactivation was not pronounced in the absence of an electron donor, indicating that only the reduced enzyme form was inactivated by nitric oxide. The second-order rate constant of the reaction between reduced XO and nitric oxide was determined to be 14.8 ± 1.4m −1 s−1 at 25 °C. The inactivated enzymes lacked xanthine-dichlorophenolindophenol activity, and the oxypurinol-bound form of XO was partly protected from the inactivation. The absorption spectrum of the inactivated enzyme was not markedly different from that of the normal enzyme. The flavin and iron-sulfur centers of inactivated XO were reduced by dithionite and reoxidized readily with oxygen, and inactivated XDH retained electron transfer activities from NADH to electron acceptors, consistent with the conclusion that the flavin and iron-sulfur centers of the inactivated enzyme both remained intact. Inactivated XO reduced with 6-methylpurine showed no “very rapid” spectra, indicating that the molybdopterin moiety was damaged. Furthermore, inactivated XO reduced by dithionite showed the same slow Mo(V) spectrum as that derived from the desulfo-type enzyme. On the other hand, inactivated XO reduced by dithionite exhibited the same signals for iron-sulfur centers as the normal enzyme. Inactivated XO recovered its activity in the presence of a sulfide-generating system. It is concluded that nitric oxide reacts with an essential sulfur of the reduced molybdenum center of XO and XDH to produce desulfo-type inactive enzymes.

Superoxide scavenging activity of spin-labeled nitrosourea and triazene derivatives.

Superoxide scavenging activities (SSA) of newly synthesized spin-labeled nitrosourea and triazene derivatives, and their precursor nitroxides were investigated by the ESR/spin-trapping method using the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) and hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase as the superoxide-generating system. The spin-labeled nitrosoureas, triazenes and their precursor nitroxides exhibited excellent SSA, whereas clinically used nitrosourea and triazene, which do not contain the nitroxide moiety, did not show any SSA. Furthermore, it was deduced that these nitroxides scavenge superoxide by redox cycling between nitroxide and corresponding hydroxylamine.