Enalapril improves impairment of SERCA-derived relaxation and enhancement of tyrosine nitration in diabetic rat aorta

Targeting the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System in Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy With CAPN3 Mutations

LGMDR1 is caused by mutations in the CAPN3 gene that encodes calpain 3 (CAPN3), a non-lysosomal cysteine protease necessary for proper muscle function. Our previous findings show that CAPN3 deficiency leads to reduced SERCA levels through increased protein degradation. This work investigates the potential contribution of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to increased SERCA degradation in LGMDR1. Consistent with our previous results, we observed that CAPN3-deficient human myotubes exhibit reduced SERCA protein levels and high cytosolic calcium concentration. Treatment with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (Velcade) increased SERCA2 protein levels and normalized intracellular calcium levels in CAPN3-deficient myotubes. Moreover, bortezomib was able to recover mutated CAPN3 protein in a patient carrying R289W and R546L missense mutations. We found that CAPN3 knockout mice (C3KO) presented SERCA deficits in skeletal muscle in the early stages of the disease, prior to the manifestation of muscle deficits. However, treatment with bortezomib (0.8 mg/kg every 72 h) for 3 weeks did not rescue SERCA levels. No change in muscle proteasome activity was observed in bortezomib-treated animals, suggesting that higher bortezomib doses are needed to rescue SERCA levels in this model. Overall, our results lay the foundation for exploring inhibition of the ubiquitin-proteasome as a new therapeutic target to treat LGMDR1 patients. Moreover, patients carrying missense mutations in CAPN3 and presumably other genes may benefit from proteasome inhibition by rescuing mutant protein levels. Further studies in suitable models will be necessary to demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of proteasome inhibition for different missense mutations.

Gene Expression in Experimental Aortic Coarctation and Repair: Candidate Genes for Therapeutic Intervention?

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a constriction of the proximal descending thoracic aorta and is one of the most common congenital cardiovascular defects. Treatments for CoA improve life expectancy, but morbidity persists, particularly due to the development of chronic hypertension (HTN). Identifying the mechanisms of morbidity is difficult in humans due to confounding variables such as age at repair, follow-up duration, coarctation severity and concurrent anomalies. We previously developed an experimental model that replicates aortic pathology in humans with CoA without these confounding variables, and mimics correction at various times using dissolvable suture. Here we present the most comprehensive description of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) to date from the pathology of CoA, which were obtained using this model. Aortic samples (n=4/group) from the ascending aorta that experiences elevated blood pressure (BP) from induction of CoA, and restoration of normal BP after its correction, were analyzed by gene expression microarray, and enriched genes were converted to human orthologues. 51 DEGs with >6 fold-change (FC) were used to determine enriched Gene Ontology terms, altered pathways, and association with National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headers (MeSH) IDs for HTN, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CoA. The results generated 18 pathways, 4 of which (cell cycle, immune system, hemostasis and metabolism) were shared with MeSH ID’s for HTN and CVD, and individual genes were associated with the CoA MeSH ID. A thorough literature search further uncovered association with contractile, cytoskeletal and regulatory proteins related to excitation-contraction coupling and metabolism that may explain the structural and functional changes observed in our experimental model, and ultimately help to unravel the mechanisms responsible for persistent morbidity after treatment for CoA.

Impairment of calcium ATPases by high glucose and potential pharmacological protection

The review deals with impairment of Ca(2+)-ATPases by high glucose or its derivatives in vitro, as well as in human diabetes and experimental animal models. Acute increases in glucose level strongly correlate with oxidative stress. Dysfunction of Ca(2+)-ATPases in diabetic and in some cases even in nondiabetic conditions may result in nitration of and in irreversible modification of cysteine-674. Nonenyzmatic protein glycation might lead to alteration of Ca(2+)-ATPase structure and function contributing to Ca(2+) imbalance and thus may be involved in development of chronic complications of diabetes. The susceptibility to glycation is probably due to the relatively high percentage of lysine and arginine residues at the ATP binding and phosphorylation domains. Reversible glycation may develop into irreversible modifications (advanced glycation end products, AGEs). Sites of SERCA AGEs are depicted in this review. Finally, several mechanisms of prevention of Ca(2+)-pump glycation, and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition curbs tyrosine nitration of mitochondrial proteins in the renal cortex during the early stage of diabetes mellitus in rats

Experiments were performed to evaluate the hypothesis that ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibition (enalapril) suppresses 3-NT (3-nitrotyrosine) production in the renal cortex during the early stage of Type 1 DM (diabetes mellitus) in the rat. Enalapril was administered chronically for 2 weeks to subsets of STZ (streptozotocin)-induced DM and vehicle-treated sham rats. O₂⁻ (superoxide anion) and NO_x (nitrate+nitrite) levels were measured in the media bathing renal cortical slices after 90 min incubation in vitro. SOD (superoxide dismutase) activity and 3-NT content were measured in the renal cortex homogenate. Renal cortical nitrated protein was identified by proteomic analysis. Renal cortical production of O₂⁻ and 3-NT was increased in DM rats; however, enalapril suppressed these changes. DM rats also exhibited elevated renal cortical NO_x production and SOD activity, and these changes were magnified by enalapril treatment. 2-DE (two-dimensional gel electrophoresis)-based Western blotting revealed more than 20 spots with positive 3-NT immunoreactivity in the renal cortex of DM rats. Enalapril treatment blunted the DM-induced increase in tyrosine nitration of three proteins ACO2, GDH1 and MMSDH (aconitase 2, glutamate dehydrogenase 1 and methylmalonate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase), each of which resides in mitochondria. These data are consistent with enalapril preventing DM-induced tyrosine nitration of mitochondrial proteins by a mechanism involving suppression of oxidant production and enhancement of antioxidant capacity, including SOD activation.

Flavonoids in prevention of diseases with respect to modulation of Ca-pump function

Flavonoids, natural phenolic compounds, are known as agents with strong antioxidant properties. In many diseases associated with oxidative/nitrosative stress and aging they provide multiple biological health benefits. Ca²⁺-ATPases belong to the main calcium regulating proteins involved in the balance of calcium homeostasis, which is impaired in oxidative/nitrosative stress and related diseases or aging. The mechanisms of Ca²⁺-ATPases dysfunction are discussed, focusing on cystein oxidation and tyrosine nitration. Flavonoids act not only as antioxidants but are also able to bind directly to Ca²⁺-ATPases, thus changing their conformation, which results in modulation of enzyme activity.

Dysfunction of Ca²⁺-ATPases is summarized with respect to their posttranslational and conformational changes in diseases related to oxidative/nitrosative stress and aging. Ca²⁺-ATPases are discussed as a therapeutic tool and the possible role of flavonoids in this process is suggested.

Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase uncoupling by sepiapterin improves left ventricular function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice

1. Uncoupling of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in diabetes mellitus. In the present study, we investigated the role of NOS uncoupling in oxidative/nitrosative stress and LV dysfunction in the diabetic mouse heart. 2. Diabetes was induced in wild-type (WT), endothelial (e) NOS knockout (eNOS(-/-)), inducible (i) NOS knockout (iNOS(-/-)) and neuronal (n) NOS knockout (nNOS(-/-)) mice by streptozotocin (STZ) treatment. 3. In the diabetic heart, iNOS, but not eNOS or nNOS, expression was increased. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), 4-hydroxy-noneal (HNE) and nitrotyrosine (NT), as markers of oxidative/nitrosative stress, were increased in the diabetic mouse heart, but the increase in oxidative/nitrosative stress was significantly repressed in the iNOS(-/-) diabetic mouse heart. Levels of nitrite and nitrate (NO(x)), as an index of nitric oxide, bioavailability were significantly decreased in the iNOS(-/-) diabetic mouse heart. 4. Oral administration of sepiapterin (10 mg/kg per day), a precursor of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)), significantly increased BH(4) and the BH(4)/BH(2) ratio in diabetic mouse heart. Similarly, sepiapterin inhibited the formation of HNE, MDA and NT in diabetic hearts from all three genotypes, but the increase in NO(x) following sepiapterin treatment was significantly attenuated in the iNOS(-/-) diabetic mouse heart. Percentage fractional shortening (FS), evaluated by echocardiography, decreased significantly in all genotypes of diabetic mice. Sepiapterin significantly increased percentage FS in diabetic mice, except in iNOS(-/-) mice. 5. These results suggest that sepiapterin inhibits uncoupling of NOS and improves LV function presumably by increasing iNOS-derived nitric oxide in the diabetic heart.

Pycnogenol and Ginkgo biloba extract: effect on peroxynitrite-oxidized sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase

The effect of two natural standardized plant extracts, Pycnogenol(®) and EGb 761, on sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) activity and posttranslational modifications induced by peroxynitrite was investigated to assess their possible protective role. EGb 761 was found to have a protective effect on SERCA activity in the concentration range of 5-40 µg/ml. On the other hand, Pycnogenol(®) caused a decrease of SERCA activity at concentrations of 25 µg/ml. EGb 761 did not prevent protein carbonyl formation upon oxidation with peroxynitrite. On the contrary, Pycnogenol(®) at the concentrations of 5 and 10 µg/ml significantly decreased the level of protein carbonyls by 44% and 54%, respectively. Neither Pycnogenol(®) nor EGb 761 exerted a protective effect against thiol group oxidation.The plant extracts studied modulated peroxynitrite-injured SERCA activity by different ways and failed to correlate with posttranslational modifications. Their effect seems to be associated with their ability to change SERCA conformation rather than by their antioxidant capacity.

Glycoxidative stress and cardiovascular complications in experimentally-induced diabetes: effects of antioxidant treatment

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common metabolic disease, representing a serious risk factor for the development of cardiovascular complications, such as coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease and hypertension. Oxidative stress (OS), a feature of DM, is defined as an increase in the steady-state levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and may occur as a result of increased free radical generation and/or decreased anti-oxidant defense mechanisms. Increasing evidence indicates that hyperglycemia is the initiating cause of the tissue damage in DM, either through repeated acute changes in cellular glucose metabolism, or through long-term accumulation of glycated biomolecules and advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs are formed by the Maillard process, a non-enzymatic reaction between ketone group of the glucose molecule or aldehydes and the amino groups of proteins that contributes to the aging of proteins and to the pathological complications of DM. In the presence of uncontrolled hyperglycemia, the increased formation of AGEs and lipid peroxidation products exacerbate intracellular OS and results in a loss of molecular integrity, disruption in cellular signaling and homeostasis, followed by inflammation and tissue injury such as endothelium dysfunction, arterial stiffening and microvascular complications. In addition to increased AGE production, there is also evidence of multiple pathways elevating ROS generation in DM, including; enhanced glucose auto-oxidation, increased mitochondrial superoxide production, protein kinase C-dependent activation of NADPH oxidase, uncoupled endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity, increased substrate flux through the polyol pathway and stimulation of eicosanoid metabolism. It is, therefore, not surprising that the correction of these variables can result in amelioration of diabetic cardiovascular abnormalities. A linking element between these phenomena is cellular redox imbalance due to glycoxidative stress (GOS). Thus, recent interest has focused on strategies to prevent, reverse or retard GOS in order to modify the natural history of diabetic cardiovascular abnormalities. This review will discuss the links between GOS and diabetes-induced cardiovascular disorders and the effect of antioxidant therapy on altering the development of cardiovascular complications in diabetic animal models.

Peroxynitrite-induced nitration of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase promotes their binding in diabetic angiopathy

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) play crucial roles in diabetic angiopathy. In vivo, however, the following facts remain unknown: whether COX-2 and iNOS bind, how peroxynitrite-induced nitration of COX-2 and iNOS affects their binding if they do bind and what effects of this mechanism contribute to diabetic angiopathy. This study focused on the issues above. Diabetes was induced in Wistar male rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. As a specific scavenger of peroxynitrite, urate was used. After 13 wks of diabetes, the morphological and biochemical changes of the rats showed obvious diabetic angiopathy. There exists in vivo colocalization and binding of COX-2 and iNOS in diabetic angiopathy. The nitration level of total and co-immunoprecipitated COX-2 and iNOS increased significantly, and, simultaneously, their binding and activity increased in the diabetes group. In the diabetes + urate group, the nitration level of COX-2 and iNOS decreased and their binding reduced, consistent with their decreased activity and the attenuated pathological changes in the rat aorta and glomerulus. The results provide in vivo evidence that COX-2 and iNOS can bind in diabetic angiopathy and that peroxynitrite-induced nitration of COX-2 and iNOS promotes their binding, contributing to diabetic angiopathy.

Short-term angiotensin-1 receptor antagonism in type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats normalizes endothelin-1-induced mesenteric artery contraction

Endothelin (ET)-1 and angiotensin II (Ang II) are likely candidates for a key role in diabetic vascular complications. We demonstrated previously that an enhanced ET-1-induced contraction is present in mesenteric arteries from Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats at the chronic stage of type 2 diabetes. Here, we investigated whether short-term treatment of such rats with losartan, an angiotensin type 1 receptor antagonist, might normalize the ET-1-induced contraction. In mesenteric arteries from GK rats at the chronic stage (34-38 weeks) (vs. those from age-matched control Wistar rats): (1) the ET-1-induced contraction was enhanced, (2) the levels of ET-1 and Ang II were increased, (3) ET-1-stimulated ERK2 phosphorylation was increased, and (4) the ACh-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation was reduced. Mesenteric arteries isolated from such GK rats following treatment with losartan (25mg/kg/day for 2 weeks) exhibited reduced ET-1- and Ang II-induced contractions, suppressed ET-1-stimulated ERK phosphorylation, and increased ACh-induced relaxation, while the rats exhibited normalized plasma NO metabolism and their mesenteric arteries exhibited increased basal NO formation. However, such losartan treatment did not alter the increased levels of ET-1 and Ang II seen in GK mesenteric arteries. Our data suggest that within the timescale studied here, losartan normalizes ET-1-induced mesenteric artery contraction through a suppression of ERK activities and/or by normalizing endothelial function.

Targeting the redox regulation of SERCA in vascular physiology and disease

The sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) is essential for the control of intracellular free Ca(2+) levels. Although the importance for this enzyme in cardiac myocytes is well recognized, it is only recently that SERCA has been identified as an important effector of nitric oxide (NO) action in vascular cells. NO can stimulate the uptake of cytosolic Ca(2+) via SERCA by adducting glutathione to the reactive cysteine-674. Mutation of this single amino acid prevents the stimulation of Ca(2+) uptake by NO, as well as its ability to inhibit smooth muscle cell functions including migration. NO function is impaired in a variety of cardiovascular diseases, including diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and atherosclerosis, which are all associated with SERCA dysfunction caused by the increased oxidants in these diseases. Targeting the oxidant sources in vascular diseases to prevent SERCA from being oxidized and/or increasing the expression of SERCA may improve vascular disease development.

Reactive nitrogen species: molecular mechanisms and potential significance in health and disease

Reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are various nitric oxide-derived compounds, including nitroxyl anion, nitrosonium cation, higher oxides of nitrogen, S-nitrosothiols, and dinitrosyl iron complexes. RNS have been recognized as playing a crucial role in the physiologic regulation of many, if not all, living cells, such as smooth muscle cells, cardiomyocytes, platelets, and nervous and juxtaglomerular cells. They possess pleiotropic properties on cellular targets after both posttranslational modifications and interactions with reactive oxygen species. Elevated levels of RNS have been implicated in cell injury and death by inducing nitrosative stress. The aim of this comprehensive review is to address the mechanisms of formation and removal of RNS, highlighting their potential cellular targets: lipids, DNA, and proteins. The specific importance of RNS and their paradoxic effects, depending on their local concentration under physiologic conditions, is underscored. An increasing number of compounds that modulate RNS processing or targets are being identified. Such compounds are now undergoing preclinical and clinical evaluations in the treatment of pathologies associated with RNS-induced cellular damage. Future research should help to elucidate the involvement of RNS in the therapeutic effect of drugs used to treat neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory diseases and cancer.

Exercise training enhanced myocardial endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) function in diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats

BACKGROUND

Different mechanisms of diabetic-induced NO dysfunction have been proposed and central to most of them are significant changes in eNOS function as the rate-limiting step in NO bioavailability. eNOS exists in both monomeric and dimeric conformations, with the dimeric form catalyzing the synthesis of nitric oxide, while the monomeric form catalyzes the synthesis of superoxide (O2-). Diabetic-induced shifts to decrease the dimer:monomer ratio is thought to contribute to the degradation of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Exercise has long been useful in the management of diabetes. Although exercise-induced increases expression of eNOS has been reported, it is unclear if exercise may alter the functional coupling of eNOS.

METHODS

To investigate this question, Goto-Kakizaki rats (a model of type II diabetes) were randomly assigned to a 9-week running program (train) or sedentary (sed) groups.

RESULTS

Exercise training significantly (p < .05) increased plantaris muscle cytochrome oxidase, significantly improved glycosylated hemoglobin (sed: 7.33 +/- 0.56%; train: 6.1 +/- 0.18%), ad improved insulin sensitivity. Exercise increased both total eNOS expression and the dimer:monomer ratio in the left ventricle LV (sed: 11.7 +/- 3.2%; train: 41.4 +/- 4.7%). Functional analysis of eNOS indicated that exercise induced significant increases in nitric oxide (+28%) production and concomitant decreases in eNOS-dependent superoxide (-12%) production. This effect was observed in the absence of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), but not in the presence of exogenous BH4. Exercise training also significantly decreased NADPH-dependent O2- activity.

CONCLUSION

Exercise-induced increased eNOS dimerization resulted in an increased coupling of the enzyme to facilitate production of NO at the expense of ROS generation. This shift that could serve to decrease diabetic-related oxidative stress, which should serve to lessen diabetic-related complications.

Diabetic state, high plasma insulin and angiotensin II combine to augment endothelin-1-induced vasoconstriction via ETA receptors and ERK

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Mechanisms associated with the enhanced contractile response to endothelin-1 in hyperinsulinaemic diabetes have been examined using the rat aorta. Functions for angiotensin II, endothelin-1 receptor expression and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) have been investigated.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were infused with angiotensin II or, following insulin treatment, were treated with losartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist. Contractions of aortic strips with or without endothelium, in response to endothelin-1 and angiotensin II, were examined in vitro. Aortic ET(A) receptors and ERK/MEK expression were measured by western blotting.

KEY RESULTS

Insulin-treated diabetic rats exhibited increases in plasma insulin, angiotensin II and endothelin-1. The systolic blood pressure and endothelin-1-induced contractile responses in aortae in vitro were enhanced in insulin-treated diabetic rats and blunted by chronic losartan administration. LY294002 (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor) and/or PD98059 (MEK inhibitor) diminished the enhanced contractile response to endothelin-1 in aortae from insulin-treated diabetic rats. ET(A) and ET(B) receptors, ERK-1/2 and MEK-1/2 protein expression and endothelin-1-stimulated ERK phosphorylation were all increased in aortae from insulin-treated diabetic rats. Such increases were blunted by chronic losartan administration. Endothelin-1-induced contraction was significantly higher in aortae from angiotensin II-infused diabetic rats. angiotensin II-infusion increased ERK phosphorylation, but the expression of endothelin receptors and ERK/MEK proteins remained unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

These results suggest that the combination of high plasma angiotensin II and insulin with a diabetic state induced enhancement of endothelin-1-induced vasoconstriction, ET(A) receptor expression and ERK expression/activity in the aorta. Losartan improved both the diabetes-related abnormalities and the diabetic hypertension.

Peroxynitrite mediates high glucose-induced osteoblast apoptosis

High glucose (HG) state is closely related to diabetic complications, and among these one main pathogenesis involves apoptosis of important functional cells. However, the mechanism of osteoblast (OB) apoptosis induced by HG state is not clear. Peroxynitrite (ONOO-), the strongest oxidant, can mediate apoptosis in various kinds of cells, including OB. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating whether HG state could induce OB apoptosis through ONOO-. Cultured OB from rat calvariae explanted from E21 fetuses were treated with HG solution. The ratio of OB apoptosis and ONOOcontent was assayed by TUNEL, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry. The results showed that HG state could induce ONOO- overformation (p<0.01), and excessive OB apoptosis (p<0.001). However, the HG-induced OB apoptosis could be attenuated by peonol, a potent scavenger of ONOO-. In conclusion, HG state might trigger excessive ONOO- formation, mediating OB apoptosis.

Mechanisms underlying the chronic pioglitazone treatment-induced improvement in the impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation seen in aortas from diabetic rats

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of chronic treatment with pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonist, on the impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation seen in aortas from established streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats, and to identify some of the molecular mechanisms involved. Starting at 8 weeks of diabetes, pioglitazone (10 mg/kg) was administered to STZ-induced diabetic rats for 4 weeks. In untreated STZ rats (vs age-matched control rats): (1) ACh-induced relaxation, cGMP accumulation, phosphorylation of the cGMP-dependent protein kinase substrate vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein at Ser-239 [an established biochemical end-point of nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP signaling], and Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) expression and SOD activity were all reduced; (2) aortic superoxide generation, nitrotyrosine expression, and NAD(P)H oxidase activity were increased; (3) plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) and aortic c-Jun (AP-1 component) protein expressions were increased. Pioglitazone treatment markedly corrected the above abnormalities. Collectively, these results suggest that pioglitazone treatment improves endothelium-dependent relaxation by reducing oxidative stress via increased SOD activity, decreased NAD(P)H oxidase activity, and a decreased ET-1 level, and that this decreased ET-1 level may be attributable to an inhibition of the AP-1 signaling pathway.